The Yangshan Port administration organized four government agencies to conduct a joint inspection of a foreign vessel last week, following a trial exercise in March.

The four agencies are the Yangshan Maritime Safety Bureau, Yangshan Customs, Yangshan Exit-Entry Inspection and Quarantine Administration, and Yangshan Immigration Station.

Joint inspection can save the time of ship crews and improve efficiency of cargo clearance, officials said. As a result, total inspection time was reduced from three hours to 45 minutes.

The new method can also prevent cheatings by shippers, share information among official agencies, and coordinate law enforcement, the officials added.

The Shanghai Maritime Safety Bureau will work with other departments to promote the practice to other ports in the city.

Source:china-shftz.gov.cn