THE 16th China (Shenzhen) International Logistics and Transportation Fair, a leading logistics and transport expo in Asia, opened at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center in Futian District on Thursday. The three-day professional trade event provides a platform for domestic and international exhibitors and visitors from the logistics industry through more than 70 activities, including exhibitions, forums, new product launches, and cross-border e-commerce business matchmaking. This year’s fair covers 80,000 square meters and exhibits 14 core areas including logistics and supply chain services, port and shipping, express shipping, air cargo, road and rail transport, intelligent logistics and warehousing, internet and e-commerce, industrial parks construction and operation, logistics packaging and other logistics equipment, new energy vehicles, forklifts or special purpose vehicles, 5G and cloud computing industry. The fair has attracted 2,000 exhibitors from 309 countries and regions, according to the organizer, Shenzhen Logistics and Supply Chain Management Association. Logistics is one of Shenzhen’s pillar industries. Statistics from the Shenzhen Municipal Transport Bureau showed that the industry’s added value reached 114.1 billion yuan (US$17.65 billion) in the first half of this year (H1), up by 10.37 percent year on year. Meanwhile, Shenzhen Port’s cargo and TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) throughputs reached 1.375 trillion tons and 13.76 million units in H1, up by 20.36 percent and 24.31 percent year on year, respectively. International shipping lines departing from Shenzhen have linked with 300 ports in over 1,000 countries and regions. International air mail and parcel turnover reached 614,7000 tons in H1, up by 25.26 percent year on year. In 2020, Shenzhen offered special subsidies to offset 200 million yuan in enterprise logistics costs, exempted 86 million yuan in cargo vehicle toll fees, and reduced 120 million yuan in pilotage fees and 10.12 million yuan in shipping lines’ port facility security fees. (Han Ximin) | 