Huangpu port's inspection, quarantine system goes paperless

Huangpu Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau in the Guangdong provincial capital Guangzhou has taken the lead in introducing an all electronic system for local companies for inspection and quarantine in Guangdong province.

"This means import and export companies can now apply and register online, and can access the results online, instead of standing at the counters and handing their written documents to inspection and quarantine personnel," according to Wu Xianfeng, deputy director of the bureau, on Friday.

"The Internet Plus inspection and quarantine system has greatly raised the work efficiency and saved production cost and time for local foreign trade companies," Wu told China Daily.

The no-paper inspection and quarantine system would play a significant role in promoting the foreign trade industry in Guangdong province which annually represents more than 20 percent of the country's total import and export volumes, he said.

The new system is estimated to be able to help 137 foreign trader companies that are using Huangpu port to import and export products more than 6 million yuan ($882,353) worth of production cost, plus another 4 million yuan worth of dock charges, annually, Wu said.

The Guangdong Provincial Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau is considering to allow the no-paper system to cover the entire province in the years ahead.

Liu Yubo, assistant manager of Lubricants Dept with China Marine Bunker Guangzhou Co, Ltd, said the new no-paper system that helps companies save cost and time will certainly able companies further increase their business volume.

Liu's company, which imports 30 tons of lubricating oil from Singapore, registered online for going through inspection and quarantine on Friday morning. And his imported lubricating oil was allowed to leave the wharf in Huangpu port in only 4 to 5 hours.

"Previously, it took more than two days for the company to complete the inspection and quarantine procedures and the company had to show many written documents for examination and approval," Liu said.

Liu said his company's import and export business has witnessed an increase of at least 20 percent in the previous 5 months when the no-paper inspection and quarantine service was officially introduced in March.