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On the morning of December 2, Dingqin, a vessel of COSCO Shipping loaded with over 13,000 tons of containerized cargo and general goods, departed from the Longtan Container Terminal in Nanjing Port, and headed directly to Santos Port on the eastern coast of Brazil, under the supervision of Xinshengwei Customs affiliated to Nanjing Customs District. The Nanjing—Santos route signifies not only the first direct shipping line from Nanjing Port to Latin America, but also the port’s first long-haul direct container shipping route, marking a significant step toward expanding the port’s global container network.
It was reported that Dingqin is loaded with a diverse array of goods, including photovoltaic products, chemicals and glasswares, with an estimated voyage duration of approximately 40 days. Thanks to the “direct ship to destination” model, this route can save up to 15 days of shipping time compared to previous transshipment models. Previously, foreign trade container routes departing from Nanjing either went directly to nearby regions such as Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia, or transshipped via inland feeder vessels to major ports like Shanghai or Ningbo, before transferring to ocean-going ships for their long-haul voyages, said by Deputy General Manager of Nanjing Port Longtan Container Co., Ltd. He further emphasized that the opening of the Nanjing-Santos route is of great significance, and that it offers Nanjing Port an invaluable opportunity to leverage its logistical advantages and enhance its brand recognition, with a view to transforming the port into a comprehensive and specialized maritime hub.
This first voyage involved a diverse range of goods and numerous bills of lading, which created a tight deadline for cargo consolidation, noted by a customs declaration officer at Nanjing COSCO Shipping Logistics Co., Ltd., the operator of the route. She added that the customs officers had proactively assisted in streamlining the customs declaration and inspection processes, addressing product classification issues, and guiding the use of the “advance declaration” mode to shorten clearance time and ensure the vessel could load and depart on schedule.
It is understood that to ensure the smooth voyage of the Nanjing — Santos line, Xinshengwei Customs adopted a forward-thinking approach, and engaged with the port, shipping company, and agency representatives well in advance to develop a tailored supervision plan. Customs officers provided hands-on guidance to agents on how to properly submit electronic vessel arrival data, and audit ship registration information, tonnage taxes, and relevant certificates in advance to ensure “zero waiting” during the vessel’s docking process. Concurrently, the port optimized its unloading processes, and implemented a strategy of “ready processing and immediate inspection upon ship arrival” to ensure seamless coordination between docking, inspection, and clearance procedures, which effectively reduced logistics costs for businesses.
