Chongqing — Recently, a 5.5-ton shipment of HP laptops valued at over 13 million yuan (approx. 1.89 million U.S. dollars), produced by Inventec (Chongqing) Co. in the Xiyong Comprehensive Bonded Zone, was dispatched from the Xiyong air cargo pre-terminal at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport to Almaty and Amsterdam. 

The shipment marks the first batch cleared for direct export at the facility, signaling the start of trial operations at Chongqing’s first air cargo pre-terminal.

Jiangbei Airport Xiyong Air Cargo Pre-terminal. (Photo/Jiangbei International Airport).

An air cargo pre-terminal is an off-site logistics hub located outside the airport perimeter—typically in industrial parks or bonded zones—and operated by professional agencies. 

It “pre-positions” airport functions such as cargo receiving, security screening, customs clearance, and palletizing directly at the source of the cargo. Once goods pass “pre-positioned security and transit,” they are transported directly to the airport’s airside. This integration of cross-regional customs, security, and operations significantly reduces logistics costs and improves efficiency.

Located within the Xiyong Comprehensive Bonded Zone, the Jiangbei Airport Xiyong Pre-terminal covers 4,840 square meters, has attracted an investment of 13 million yuan, and has an annual handling capacity of 50,000 tons. 

Its functions are equivalent to those of the airport’s main cargo terminal. International goods, such as high-end industrial products and cross-border e-commerce items produced within the zone, can complete export delivery or rapid import distribution on-site. This creates a seamless “factory gate to aircraft door” connection, boosting the efficiency of aviation logistics.

While cities such as Shenzhen, Qingdao, Guangzhou, and Chengdu have already deployed similar facilities, the Xiyong Pre-terminal is the first fully functional air cargo station in Western China located outside the airport boundary to offer integrated security screening, customs services, and cargo handling. It is also the first comprehensive pre-terminal in the country to handle both inbound and outbound cargo.

According to a representative from the Xiyong Micro-electronics Industrial Park, pre-positioning these airport functions enhances the overall efficiency of the regional aviation logistics chain and meets the demand for “fast-in, fast-out” transportation. 

Estimates show that moving international outbound cargo from the Xiyong Bonded Zone to the airside will reduce logistics costs by over 20% and improve processing speed by 20%. For international inbound cargo, processing efficiency is expected to improve by 30%, reflecting the efficiency gains brought by integrating customs, security, and cargo handling at the source.