China: Huangpu Customs launches paperless pilot project to reduce documentation time

Huangpu Customs has implemented a paperless pilot project for bonded bunker fuel between customs offices and a few reformed measures to improve the efficiency and convenience of bunkering operations, according to the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China recently. 

The trial was launched with 980 metric tonnes (mt) of low-sulphur bonded fuel oil directly transported from the public bonded warehouse of Huangpu District Xiji Oil Depot, Guangzhou, to the bunkering vessel Yue Hang You 3 through pipelines.

Yue Hang You 3 then arrived ahead of schedule at Xinsha Wharf to complete the bunkering operation of international voyage ship HERACLES.

Instead of circulating paper documents between different offices, the process of bonded bunker fuel supply was simplified and processed online. This includes supply application, ship supply application, verifications and customs clearance. 

At the same time, the Huangpu Customs launched measures such as “cross customs supply from one oil depot”, “multiple supply from one vessel” and “supply first and report later” to ensure quicker bunkering operations. 

“It used to take at least one to two days for the oil supply ship to come to refuel. Occasionally, the import and export cargo has been loaded and unloaded, and the bonded fuel oil has not been filled, which affects the timeliness of cargo transportation. Now the oil supply ship has arrived at the refuelling point ahead of schedule. The ship can immediately receive bunker fuel supply and leave when it is done, making the bunkering experience very positive and smooth,” according to a person-in-charge of HERACLES.

Xiao Hang, Section Manager of Huangpu Old Port Clearance Division, said: “We rely on the information system to establish an information exchange and feedback mechanism between the enterprise and the customs, between the supplying and receiving customs and strive to reduce the number of trips for enterprises. With measures such as ‘declaration in advance’, ‘supply first and report later’, and ‘multiple supply from one vessel’, enterprises can handle bonded bunker fuel supply online at one time and supply oil to multiple bunker-receiving ships in one operation voyage. The single operation voyage can save 20-30 hours compared to before these measures were in place.”

In addition, “cross customs supply from one oil depot” measure supports companies to directly load and export bonded bunker fuel from public bonded warehouses, eliminating the need to transfer to their own warehouses, which effectively reduces the transportation costs of enterprises and reduces the loss of fuel for multiple transportation.

Zhou Yunbao, deputy director of Huangpu Customs, said: “The regulatory reform measures introduced by Huangpu Customs are aimed at improving fuel supply efficiency, reducing fuel supply costs, simplifying fuel supply procedures, and reducing the burden on enterprises. In the next step, we will continue to deepen reform and innovation, actively support Guangzhou in building a bonded oil supply base in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, improve the comprehensive service capabilities of Guangzhou Port and shipping, and promote the quality and increase of Guangzhou’s foreign trade.”

Disclaimer: The above article published by Manifold Times was sourced from China’s domestic market through a local correspondent. While considerable efforts have been taken to verify its accuracy through a professional translator and processed from sources believed to be reliable, no warranty is made regarding the accuracy, completeness and reliability of any information.

Related: China: Pilot digital trial reduces documentation time for Zhoushan bunkering ops

Photo credit: Huangpu Customs
Published: 3 May, 2023