Shanghai works to improve logistics efficiency

SHANGHAI, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Amid challenges caused by the resurgence of COVID-19, Shanghai has been working to improve logistics efficiency and continuing to play its role as an international shipping center.

A set of measures have been taken to ensure smooth cargo flow. For example, Shanghai has been promoting contactless transportation of bulk cargo, while it launched services to enable more enterprises to transfer containers by water instead of road, due to the slowdown of road transport.

Yuan Hao, deputy general manager of COSCO SHIPPING Lines (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., said more than 120 ships of the company have docked at Shanghai port to load and unload cargo since late March.

According to statistics released by the city on Friday, the water-water transfer of 2.12 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of containers was completed at Shanghai port in March, up 17.1 percent from the previous month. Since April, the average daily arrival of sea-rail combined transport was 1,670 TEUs, up 25.8 percent from the first quarter.

In April, the container throughput of Shanghai port has exceeded 100,000 TEUs per day; Shanghai's two major airports have seen an inbound and outbound cargo volume of over 80,000 tonnes and an average daily cargo volume of about 3,500 tonnes; the city's Pudong airport has facilitated 2,309 flights for freight transport, with a daily average of about 100 flights.

According to the Shanghai Airport Authority, in order to meet the needs of certain enterprises that just resumed production, Shanghai Pudong International Airport has offered online services to improve customs inspection efficiency and guarantee the timely transportation of important production materials such as electronic components and auto parts.