At about 17:00 on December 2, near the end of the working hours, daylight faded and cold wind blew wildly. Declarer Chen from Qinhuangdao Ocean Shipping Agency Co., Ltd. hurried to Qinhuangdao Customs Service Hall. Chen’s Company-agented second-hand international ship needed inspection by the Customs and the ship had been scheduled to leave Qinhuangdao for domestic transport on the night. If related formalities could not be finished in time, the Company would overpay nearly RMB 10,000 per day for berthing, loss from transport delay to be even larger.

“As the front-line department for clearance control, we have the responsibility to ensure sail schedule for shipping firms and support their business,” said Section Chief of Section  of Inspection, Qinhuangdao Customs House (affiliated to Shijiazhuang Customs District). When learning the situation, the Section Chief and two staff drove over an hour to Shanhaiguan shipyard for on-ship inspection. Despite ice-cold wind, the officers carefully checked relevant documents like table of tank capacities and went down to the engine room to measure and record oil hold gauge data. Through many times of calculation and revision, they finished the inspection work smoothly, enabling the ship to leave in time for scheduled transport.

In recent years, with slowing demand, excess capacity and falling price in international shipping market, the slumping shipping industry has brought trouble to many enterprises, but with business opportunities to domestic firms. By purchasing international second-hand ships, Chinese firms have not only eased the tension on international shipping market but also met domestic demand for seasonal shipping. Thus, the Customs has set a 24-hour service mechanism to save time cost for shipping firms and initiatively help them solve their operational difficulties and pressure.