Lianyungang and Xuzhou Ports Pilot “Single-document” Title Deed Bill of Lading to Avoid Multiple Document Exchanges and Declarations

From: Lianyungang Daily Updated: 2024-09-24 09:47

On September 19, an international freight train carrying 124 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) of Kazakhstan wheat flour departed from Tongshan Station in Xuzhou, connecting with the Xuzhou-Lianyungang train service, and arrived at Lianyungang Port before being shipped to Guangzhou via the Yuzhou Maritime Route. This marked a groundbreaking move in international trade financing business innovation by the two ports of Lianyungang and Xuzhou, centering on the dematerialization of transport documents for China Railway Express. Jiangsu Provincial Railway Express Company’s Xuzhou branch issued a CIFA bill of lading with property rights attributes for this import train, completing the first full-journey document with property rights attributes for the “Central Asia-Alataw Pass-Tongshan-Lianyungang-Guangzhou” import train.

The introduction of the “single-document” system with dematerialized bills of lading has facilitated a seamless transition from land transportation to maritime shipping, eliminating the cumbersome procedures of multiple document exchanges and declarations under the traditional model. In this system, the bill of lading serves directly as a document of title, permeating the entire logistics chain. Cargo owners can now complete cargo pickup, transfer, or financing with just one bill of lading, significantly saving time and costs while enhancing the overall competitiveness of the supply chain.

The successful shipment of this batch of imported goods signifies a solid step forward in the innovative cooperation between Lianyungang Port and Xuzhou Inland Port on the “single-document” system with dematerialized bills of lading. It not only enriches multimodal transport products and optimizes intermodal transport processes but also significantly improves logistics efficiency and cargo security, setting a new benchmark for international trade facilitation.

As one of China’s key coastal ports, Lianyungang Port, with its advantageous geographical location and comprehensive port facilities, provided robust support for the success of this pilot project. Meanwhile, Xuzhou Inland Port, an essential logistics hub in inland regions, connects with seaports through its railway network, shaping a new sea-land linkage paradigm under the “Belt and Road” Initiative. The cooperation between the two ports not only promotes economic integration between inland and coastal areas but also opens up a more efficient and convenient channel for products from Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries to enter China and even the global market.

Furthermore, this “single-document” system with dematerialized bills of lading deeply integrates financial institution cooperation. After the cargo departed from the overseas station, Haiqi Wuchan Trading Company of Jiangsu SOHO Holdings Group Co., Ltd. leveraged the “single-document” bill of lading issued by the Xuzhou Railway Express Company as a financing guarantee to apply for financing from the Bank of China Jiangsu Branch. Upon completion of the review, the bank provided financing support to the importing enterprise, paying the export side on behalf of the client, and successfully realizing bill of lading pledge financing through trade goods, facilitating and simplifying the financing process.

Looking ahead, Lianyungang Port and Xuzhou Inland Port will continue to deepen their cooperation, further optimizing the operational processes and service standards of the “single-document” system with dematerialized bills of lading, expanding the pilot scope, and striving to promote this innovative model on more international trains and trade routes. Additionally, they will actively explore the application of digital and intelligent technologies in the logistics sector, building a smarter and more efficient supply chain system to contribute more significantly to regional economic development and international trade prosperity.