Customs staff members inspect imported iron ore at Zhangjiagang Port. [Photo/zjgonline.com.cn]
Zhangjiagang Port in Zhangjiagang, Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province is one of the largest trading ports for imported iron ore along the Yangtze River, and the local customs department has implemented a series of measures to speed up the clearance process for the commodity.
In the past, companies had to unload the iron ore at a storage yard for customs staff to finish a string of procedures before they could transport it somewhere else. But now the commodities can leave the storage yard as soon as staff members complete the on-site inspection and take a sample.
The department also collects information from the last port a ship docked at, makes inspection plans in advance, and streamlines its work process to improve services. Due to such efforts, time spent on customs clearance for imported iron ore has been reduced by more than 30 percent.
For example, a cargo ship loaded with 93,000 metric tons of iron ore was discharged two days earlier than planned. The policy has ensured that raw materials arrive in time and is expected to save 25 million yuan ($3.93 million) in logistics costs every year, said Xu Liangqian, general manager of Jiangsu Shagang International Trade Co, the importer.
The Zhangjiagang Customs has inspected a combined 5 million tons of imported iron ore this year, up 48.44 percent over last year.