¡¡¡¡¡ª¡ªTianjin Port to build dry ports with the north inland area

¡¡¡¡Background Story:From Inner Mongolia to Shijiazhuang

¡¡¡¡On Dec. 28th, 2007, Baotou Dry Port, under Tianjin Port, was officially opened, becoming the fourth dry port constructed by Tianjin Port with support from inland provinces, and the first ever in western China.
¡¡¡¡Mr. Lin, a staff member serving in the Import and Export Trade Tianjin Office of Baotou Steel Group, was delighted at this encouraging news. In his more than a decade¡¯s engagement in foreign trade, he used to make several-day tours to relevant departments in Baotou and Tianjin, for just one deal. With the new dry port, however, bookings, customs declarations, inspection applications, issuing of bills of lading and other procedures can all be completed within less than two hours. ¡°All these tasks that used to be done in Tianjin Port now can be completed in Baotou,  Mr. Lin said.
¡¡¡¡In Shijiazhuang where the dry port has been in service for a longer period of time, customers have more experiences to share regarding the services Tianjin Port provides.
¡¡¡¡North China Pharmaceutical Wei¡¯erkang Co., Ltd. is one of the largest pharmaceutical manufacturers in Shijiazhuang, and all of its current import and export trade is done through Shijiazhuang Dry Port. According to Mr. Wu, the Sales Manager, it is a 400-km drive from Shijiazhuang to Tianjin Port by highway. Previously, the import and export clearance procedures required at least three to five days. While now, cargo can go through the declaration, inspection and release in the same day. Where identification is required, customs officers are able to complete procedures in the bonded warehouse in the dry port, and then issue corresponding documents. Wu said: "Although there is no water and no vessels in a dry port, it is already equipped with all port-related functions except for loading."  Today, Shijiazhuang Customs, inspection and quarantine facilities, banks, insurances, and all departments concerned have settled their offices there.
¡¡¡¡Estimates show new dry port logistics procedures can save central provinces one to two days and western areas three to five days when compared with the previous options. At present, cargo clearance processing in Tianjin Port is steady at around seven hours in the harbour, or four hours in the airport; more than 87% of import and export cargo is released within the same day in the harbour, over 90% in the airport ¡ªbasically, the claims to same day clearance are warranted.
¡¡¡¡Transport costs have also been saved by dry port facilities. Du Baozhong, General Manager of China Merchants Logistics Group (Tianjin) Co., Ltd. Hebei Branch, observed that in the past container freight trucks from Tianjin Port had to return empty, meaning only 50% of effective capacity was utilised. Now, thanks to the information coordination services within dry ports, trucks can be re-loaded from Shijiazhuang and transport cargo back to Tianjin, with capacity now fully occupied. This has reduced transport tariffs, and production enterprises have seen their transport costs decrease accordingly. Lv Shoucheng, General Manager of Shijiazhuang Dry Port Co., Ltd. said that while in the past enterprises had paid transport, customs declaration, inspection, loading, operation and miscellaneous expenses on their own, nowadays, each TEU of import or export cargo costs around RMB 300 less thanks to dry ports.

¡¡¡¡Commitment: Start from the "Three Priorities "

¡¡¡¡In October 2002, Beijing Chaoyang Harbour and Tianjin Port Harbour signed an agreement on a direct link, thus marking the inception of the first dry port in China. This enabled Tianjin Port to extend its services into the economic hinterland and establish a "door-to-door"  service model between inland areas and Tianjin Port. In practice, too, Tianjin fully supports dry ports with a Three Priorities"  policy on relevant goods. The first priority is on port clearance, with a special window and staff reserved. The second priority is given to port yard, with special yards appointed in the terminal. The third is an operating priority, with all import and export goods received by the dry port handled first by Tianjin Port. In addition, all import and export goods concerned are entitled to the maximum concessions by Tianjin Port Group.
¡¡¡¡There are other commitments being implemented by Tianjin Port as well. For example, in expanding business scope for dry ports, Tianjin Port takes advantages of its own strength, not only assisting in bringing shipping companies as well as cargo agents, but also cooperating in opening up logistics business. In stations, equipment technology and business management, Tianjin Port provides a full range of assistance and support. The business backbone is selected to cultivate dry port establishment and operation, while free training is also available for operational and technical personnel. There are also concerns attended to equipment maintenance, information platform construction, and so on.

¡¡¡¡Cooperation on Dry Ports: Unlimited Prospects

¡¡¡¡In recent years, the City of Tianjin has been strengthening cooperation with inland provinces and cities, carrying out bold attempts in building dry ports. Beijing Chaoyang Harbour, Shijiazhuang Inland Port, Henan Highway Port, Ningxia Huinong Containers Logistics Base and Urumqi Container Station were all achieved in rapid succession. In 2007, Tianjin co-signed the Memorandum of Cooperation on Building a Northern China Common Declaration with 11 inland provinces and cities, the Letter of Cooperation Intent on Constructing Inland Dry Ports with 12 other ports. These moves established a long-term port cooperation mechanism.
¡¡¡¡Yu Rumin, President of Tianjin Port, has made it clear that as long as Tianjin Port intends to lead the development in port functions, the first focus must always be on the construction of inland ports. This year, three or four new ones will open. By 2010, dry ports are expected to scatter around 14 provincial capitals or major container resource areas where there are trade exchanges with the hinterland. This will pioneer a "golden waterway¡± for the hinterland toward other ports, and even the whole world.
¡¡¡¡Above all this, Tianjin will stick to its tradition on cementing services. Since 1990 and onwards, Tianjin Port has for 17 continuous years marked a quality services month named "Leave Your Satisfaction in Tianjin Port" . And from 1997, Tianjin Port started its brand strategy, launching well-known brands with first-class services. Today, with the ever-improving general service in Binhai New Area, Tianjin Port is devoted to the criterion of "leading within China, impressing the world" , providing only first-class services and presenting a brand-new image.