On April 3rd, a shipment of imported women’s wear landed at Hangzhou International Airport, marking a milestone for the city’s streamlined customs clearance. This delivery was the first to utilize Hangzhou Customs’ airport direct pick-up service, which allows for immediate cargo pick-up upon landing.

The shipment was handled by the Hangzhou branch of the Shanghai-based COSCO Shipping Air Freight. “This service cut our customs clearance time at the port by nearly 3 hours,” Wang Bingyan, general manager of the company, claimed. “That translates to a 24-hour head start for our clients to get their goods onto store shelves.”

Before the airport direct pick-up program, imported air cargo went through a slower process. Goods were transferred to a designated customs warehouse for inspection and retrieval only after completing the paperwork. Now, importers can pre-declare their goods electronically while they’re still in flight. This allows customs to review documents, taxes, and potential risks in advance. Upon landing, qualified companies can pick up their shipments directly, bypassing the warehouse stop for goods eligible for non-intrusive inspection. This significantly streamlines the customs clearance and saves valuable time for importers.

The service is just one of several innovative schemes launched by Hangzhou Customs this year. These initiatives, which also include streamlined customs solutions for bonded area-port collaboration, integrated air and ground transportation, and interline cargo transfer, are mking it easier and quicker than ever to move goods through the airport. The impact is already being felt. In the first quarter of 2024, cargo volume at the airport surged by 70% year-on-year to 53,100 tons, and imports experienced a leap of 66% year-on-year.