THE total foreign trade value of Shenzhen’s three comprehensive bonded areas exceeded 396 billion yuan (US$55 billion) in the first three quarters of this year, a year-on-year increase of 33.8%, and accounted for 11.7% of the city’s total, according to Shenzhen Customs yesterday.

Among the three bonded areas, the Qianhai Comprehensive Bonded Area posted the most significant growth, with a year-on-year increase of over 48%, reaching a foreign trade value of 264.2 billion yuan. The Pingshan and Yantian bonded areas contributed 41.29 billion yuan and 90.6 billion yuan, respectively, with increases of 16% and 6.98%.

“The Qianhai bonded area offers professional logistics services and is strategically located near Shekou, which boasts an abundance of shipping routes,” said Chen Jun, manager of the e-commerce business department at China Merchants Logistics Co. Ltd.

Zhu Jianhua, general manager of Shenzhen Haichen Storage and Joint Transport Logistics Co. Ltd., highlighted the challenges of exporting goods due to high warehouse rents and labor costs overseas, as well as the inability to ship emergency goods promptly.

“We now prefer to utilize the Yantian bonded area, which operates 24/7 and offers convenient transportation,” he explained. (Han Ximin)