Chongqing - Loaded with imported Porsche cars, a freight train of the China Railway Express entered the Tuanjiecun Railway Station in Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality on March 13.
This is the first test train for Porsche cars to be transported by metal pallet containers, through which each container can carry three complete cars to improve transport efficiency.
"We continue to optimize the customs clearance process to allow consumers in Chongqing to get the ordered vehicles as soon as possible, and the metal pallet container transportation method is a new attempt," said an official of the Chongqing Customs District.
The Chongqing customs officers carried out inspections of imported vehicles. (Photo/Chongqing Customs District)
In recent years, Chongqing Customs District has used the port well to import complete vehicles and open channels, like the China Railway Express, to promote the vehicle import business.
From January to February this year, Chongqing Customs District supervised and released 1,289 imported complete vehicles valued at more than 840 million yuan (about 121.91 million U.S. dollars), with a year-on-year increase of 136.51% and 139.21%, respectively.
Chongqing Customs District optimized port operations such as vehicle loading, unloading, and short barges to reduce enterprises' logistics costs.
Coordinating with the port operating units to optimize and integrate the dedicated storage yards for vehicle inspections, Chongqing Customs District ensures a more than two times increase in the yard's inspection carrying capacity, and the operation time of single-vehicle yards has been shortened by over one hour.
The Chongqing customs officers carried out inspections of imported vehicles. (Photo/Chongqing Customs District)
Chongqing Customs District enhanced the function of the vehicle import port platform and innovations in transportation methods and inspection processes, helping the city create a distribution center for imported automobiles in the inland region.
The whole industry chain will be supported by the import trade of vehicles and parts to the distribution and maintenance center. The one-stop supporting service functions of the vehicle port will be improved, including vehicle customs clearance, sales, licensing, and after-sales maintenance.
Approved in 2014, Chongqing's complete vehicle import port is the first one in the western inland area. Since the approval, the number of imported vehicles has exceeded 30,000.
Currently, the port vehicle import business covers 17 brands, such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Porsche, Ford, etc., leading in the number and categories of imported vehicles.