On April 7, a truck loaded with integrated circuit products departed from the Shanghai Airport–Suzhou Pre-Cargo Hub after receiving full-process automated customs clearance. The vehicle headed directly to Shanghai Pudong International Airport, from where the goods were dispatched overseas via international flights. As the first cross-provincial, cross-customs aviation pre-cargo facility in China, the hub has established a highly efficient channel for the flow of regional production factors, extending Shanghai International Airport Co.,Ltd.'s air cargo services directly to Suzhou-based enterprises.
Suzhou, a major hub for foreign trade, relies on air transport for over 40% of its export volume. High-value products such as biomedicine and high-end equipment require strict delivery timelines. Previously, goods from Suzhou companies had to be transported to agency warehouses in Shanghai for sorting, documentation, and labeling before moving to Shanghai airport cargo terminals for customs inspection and security checks. This process involved multiple loadings and unloadings, increasing risks of spoilage, contract breaches, and shipment rejection, while raising hidden costs and delivery pressures for businesses.
Since its launch in April 2025, the Shanghai Airport–Suzhou Pre-Cargo Hub has continuously optimized its service procedures, significantly improving clearance efficiency and reducing corporate logistics costs. It has become a benchmark project for cross-regional customs facilitation in the Yangtze River Delta. To date, the facility has processed 646 shipments with an export value of approximately 705 million yuan, collaborating with 36 international airlines and serving 79 enterprises in Suzhou. Goods have reached 47 countries and regions worldwide.
This innovative model has been included in the "2025 Landmark Project List for Customs Support of Yangtze River Delta Integration" and recognized as an "Outstanding Innovative Practice Case" in China's customs industry. It provides replicable experience for cross-regional air cargo supervision. Currently, the total transit time from the pre-cargo hub to aircraft loading at Pudong Airport remains stable at around 12 hours per shipment, cutting transportation time by over 60% and reducing ground logistics costs by 10% to 30%.
"The pre-cargo hub allows us to complete security checks and customs inspections in one go right at our doorstep," said Wu Gaoming, Deputy General Manager of Suzhou Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
"Nanjing Customs and Shanghai Customs have successfully established a data channel between the two regions," explained Chen Yu, Section Chief of Supervision at the Weiting Office of Suzhou Industrial Park Customs under Nanjing Customs. "With the support of smart lock technology and automated customs transfer data verification, the pre-cargo hub delivers tangible efficiency gains and visible cost reductions for enterprises."
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