China introduces facilitation measures for shipping, freight companies

Aerial photo shows a cargo ship docking at Meidong Dock of the Ningbo-Zhoushan port in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi)

BEIJING, June 18 (Xinhua) -- China's National Immigration Administration has rolled out 16 new measures for shipping and freight companies as part of efforts to further optimize the business environment at ports.

The measures are mainly aimed at streamlining administrative procedures for foreign cargo vessels, and Chinese freight vehicles and drivers frequently crossing land borders, the administration said Friday, pledging to offer international shipping vessels around-the-clock customs clearance support across Chinese ports.

The measures will save international vessels an average berthing time of 1.5 hours in Chinese ports, and reduce more than 10 percent of time spent in customs clearance for freight vehicles on land borders, the administration said.