A seafood market in Nantong. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

As one of the first national-level central fishing ports, Lyusi Fishing Port in Nantong, Jiangsu province, accounts for one-third of the province's annual marine catch, with the annual total output value exceeding 5 billion yuan ($696.65 million).

Since fishing season began on Aug 5, 160 specialized fresh catch boats have been making daily trips to and from Lyusi Fishing Port, each with a load capacity of about 30,000 kilograms. The fishing nets are concentrated in the Yangtze River estuary area, with over 80 percent of the fishing boats from Zhejiang and Fujian provinces operating in the fishing grounds outside Lyusi port. After the catch, they gather at the port for trading.

According to Pan Zhijun, president of the Qidong Fisheries Chamber of Commerce, once the fully loaded fishing boats enter the port, 60 percent of the live seafood is distributed through the direct procurement centers of supermarkets like Hema, also known as Freshippo, aquatic markets, and other channels, reaching the Yangtze River Delta region, Northeast China, East China, and Fujian within 24 hours, and arriving in inland regions such as Sichuan province within 48 hours. The remaining 40 percent of the catch goes to local processing plants to be made into products like crab paste and crab chunks, with some even exported to South Korea.

The secretary to the delicious taste of seafood lies in freshness and aliveness. At the Hema Lyusi Port Direct Procurement Center, workers first place the fresh swimming crabs in ice water to cool them down. Then, experienced local fishermen weigh them and check for the missing leg rate. Once all sorting is complete, the crabs are packaged and sent to various parts of the country.

It is estimated that within two to five hours of landing, these swimming crabs can be delivered to Hema stores in eastern Chinese cities like Shanghai and Hangzhou, ensuring that live seafood reaches tables across the country in the shortest possible time.

Starting from the Lyusi fishing grounds on the shores of the Yellow Sea, Nantong seafood is now reaching dining tables nationwide with unprecedented speed and freshness. From unloading crabs from fishing boats to sorting fresh catches and then to transportation and distribution, the "Hema model" is a microcosm of the supply chain that delivers fresh seafood from Nantong's coastlines to homes throughout China.

The distribution network of Nantong seafood continues to expand. This year, Hema has expanded the production area at Lyusi port, meaning that freshly caught swimming crabs can sorted and transported to Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and southwestern cities much quicker than before.

Nantong seafood is reaching dining tables nationwide with unprecedented speed and freshness, turning Nantong's fresh taste into a culinary brand recognized across the country.