The first direct cargo arrived at Shanghai from the Chancay Port in Peru on Wednesday, marking the bidirectional connection of the maritime route between the Chinese and Peruvian ports.
Loaded with 20,000 tons of Peruvian fruits such as blueberries, avocados, grapes and mangoes, the China COSCO Shipping-operated "Xin Shanghai" container ship arrived at the Yangshan Port in Shanghai after a 23-day journey from the Chancay Port.
The journey opened the first two-way operational sea link between Shanghai and Chancay Port, a newly-inaugurated flagship project of Belt and Road cooperation between China and Peru.
The opening of this new route has reduced the shipping time from Peru to China from 33 days to just 23, providing a faster and more efficient logistics channel for trade between the two countries.
To expedite customs clearance, staff from the freight forwarding company completed the pre-declaration process online a day before the vessel's arrival.
They registered the basic details of the imported fruits and uploaded the necessary documents, including phytosanitary certificates, certificates of origin, and contracts, completing the process within minutes.
The entire review, from receiving the electronic data to approval, took just five minutes.
"There are stringent requirements for the shipping of fresh produce in terms of transportation, customs efficiency, and temperature management. The pre-declaration system allows the entire customs clearance process to be completed in advance. Coupled with measures like consolidated taxation, this ensures fast, seamless customs clearance," said Zhu Xuelong, deputy head of the first integrated service section of Yangshan Customs under Shanghai Customs.
To reduce customs clearance costs and facilitate trade, China's Customs authorities introduced a consolidated taxation policy, allowing companies to defer tax payments until after import and process the taxes for multiple shipments within a month together.
"The cargo was directly shipped from the Peru's Chancay Port to Shanghai. We completed the early declaration after confirming the warehouse receipt, allowing for quick inspection and release upon the cargo's arrival. This significantly reduces clearance time, minimizes port delays, and lowers our customs costs," said Zhang Wenjun, who oversees on-site operations at Yangshan Port for a Shanghai-based freight forwarding company.
First direct cargo shipment from Peru's Chancay Port reaches Shanghai
