Han Ximin

ximhan@126.com

A SINO-RUSSIAN train, carrying 309.5 tons of cargoes at a value of 47 million yuan (US$7.27 million), left Shenzhen on July 16 from Pinghu South National Logistics Hub to Vorsino, Russia, via Manzhouli Checkpoint, according to a release of Shenzhen Customs on Thursday.

The train is the first Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) freight train to Russia and the trip takes 14 days. Since the first GBA Sino-European freight train started operations in August last year, a total of 33,000 tons of cargoes valued at 2 billion yuan have been exported.

Due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a higher demand for sea transport and the fees are increasing. However, land transport via trains is competitive and has unique advantages in terms of time and costs compared to air and sea transport.

Shenzhen Customs optimized supervisory procedures and implemented facilitation measures to offer on-site supervision during working hours, reservations for extra working hour supervision and all-weather 24-hour customs clearances.

The customs authority also revealed Thursday that it has seized 1,971 tons of industrial waste in the first half of the year, including 407 tons which were smuggled by hiding and through false declarations. Later on, it seized 988 tons of imported industrial waste through inspections and verifications.