As the 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE) draws near, Shanghai's bustling ports are seeing a surge in international cargo arrivals carrying goods to be exhibited at the event in early November.
On Tuesday morning, a container vessel operated by Chinese shipping giant COSCO gently berthed at Shanghai's Waigaoqiao port. The ship set sail from Auckland, New Zealand, on Sept. 20, carrying a carefully curated cargo of dairy products from New Zealand and specialty goods such as coconut oil from Niue.
"This shipment, primarily dairy products, came from New Zealand and Niue, an island nation in the South Pacific. As the carrier, COSCO has developed a customized logistics plan, relying on advanced constant-temperature transportation devices throughout the process to create a stable and reliable 'mobile refrigerator' at sea," said Wei Guo, manager of the Waigaoqiao office of COSCO Shipping Lines (Shanghai).
This arrival follows earlier shipments of CIIE exhibits from countries including Peru and South Africa, which were received at Shanghai's Yangshan Port. The steady stream of international cargo underscores the growing global participation in this year's expo.
To facilitate smooth and rapid customs clearance, the Shanghai General Station of Immigration Inspection has rolled out a series of supportive measures. At Waigaoqiao, border inspection authorities activated a dedicated "green channel" for CIIE shipments, offering pre-arrival inspections and one-stop clearance services.
"The Waigaoqiao Border Inspection Station, in coordination with port authorities, activated a 'green channel' for the shipment by providing services including pre-arrival inspection and one-stop clearance, streamlining the entire procedure to ensure highly efficient and convenient customs clearance for the CIIE exhibits," said Gao Er, an official with the Waigaoqiao Border Inspection Station.
Authorities have also launched on-site services at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), the expo's venue, as well as a dedicated hotline to assist international participants.
The 8th CIIE is scheduled from Nov 5 to 10 in Shanghai, with over 3,200 enterprises from more than 110 countries and regions confirmed to participate. They have signed up for exhibition areas totaling over 360,000 square meters.
Shanghai ports see influx of global exhibits ahead of 8th China International Import Expo
