An aerial view of the Waigaoqiao Port Comprehensive Bonded Zone in Shanghai. [Photo/WeChat ID: pdnews]

Shanghai's Waigaoqiao Port Comprehensive Bonded Zone is expanding its cross-border logistics options by connecting sea, road and rail transport. Its imports and exports reached 32.54 billion yuan ($4.87 billion) in the first half of 2026, up 31.7 percent year-on-year.

Two recent shipments demonstrate how goods can switch transport modes through the zone.

In one operation, 55 imported off-road vehicles were unloaded from a vessel and placed under customs supervision before being re-exported to Kazakhstan via the TIR international road transport system.

In another, 23.6 metric tons of licorice extract from Tajikistan entered China by rail through the Khorgos checkpoint and arrived in Shanghai for bonded storage before onward shipment overseas.

Bonded warehousing allows companies to defer customs duties while goods remain in the zone and schedule shipments according to orders and market conditions. It can also reduce repeated transfers and overseas warehousing costs, particularly for bulk commodities awaiting customer confirmation.

Waigaoqiao has worked with customs authorities to upgrade checkpoint operations and data connectivity, coordinating document checks, information verification and cargo release across transport channels.

In the 2025 national performance evaluation of comprehensive bonded zones, Waigaoqiao ranked 27th, placing it in the top 20 percent and earning a Category A rating.

The zone is also preparing for stronger sea-rail connections. Phase II of the Shanghai-Suzhou-Nantong Railway is planned to include a container center station and loading lines at Waigaoqiao, connecting rail directly with port operations and strengthening links between coastal and inland markets.