Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) Zhuhai Port has processed 2.4 million tons of cargo worth 338.38 billion yuan ($53 billion), 21 million passengers, and 3.1 million vehicles in the three years since opening on Oct 23, 2018.

Earlier this month, for instance, around 1.05 million parcels valued at 330 million yuan ($52 million) were transported across the bridge during the Oct 1-7 National Day holiday, a 3.5-fold and 4.7-fold increase from the same period last year, said Zheng Tailong, director of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao International Trade (Zhuhai) Commerce Department.

The increases are attributed to increasingly convenient and efficient clearance services courtesy of high-tech inspection equipment and accordance between Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao law enforcement.

Zhuhai Haimiao Aquatic Import & Export, as one example, exported 3,486 tons of aquatic products from January to October, a year-on-year increase of 19 percent due to 24/7 prioritized custom clearance services, according to enterprise head Weng Xipeng. "For aquatic products, rushing to the market means rushing fresh," he said.

HZMB Zhuhai Port customs officials inspect parcels [Photo by Cheng Lin & Yu Bo to Zhuhai Daily]

Another beneficiary is China's largest and highest-level maintenance base for civil aviation engines, MTU Maintenance in the Zhuhai Free Trade Zone. From entry to exit, it now takes no more than three minutes for MTU cargo to clear customs procedures. Average inspection time is no more than 10 seconds.

More than 20,000 yuan ($3,134) can be saved at each link as transportation time has been cut from two days to one by using HZMB Zhuhai Port when urgent engine delivery is necessary, said Jaap Beijer, president and CEO of MTU Maintenance Zhuhai.

Moreover, Zhang Jie, head of Zhuhai Guangfeng Logistics, said Hong Kong International Airport-HZMB-Zhuhai (Jinwan) Airport multimodal transport mode cuts transportation time from three hours to 40 minutes, and saves costs by 30 to 40 percent. The enterprise now undertakes JD Logistic's international business, and parcels can be sent anywhere in the country after clearing customs at HZMB.

Other leading enterprises such as SF Express, DHL, and Cainiao currently conduct logistics business at HZMB Zhuhai Port with destinations encompassing the Philippines, Malaysia, France, Canada, and 11 other countries and regions.

Since last July, when a Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Cross-Border E-commerce Operation Center came into operation, outbound freight trucks reach Hong Kong International Airport in 30 minutes, Hong Kong's Kwai Tsing Container Terminals in an hour, and Macao International Airport in 15 minutes after a three-minute inspection.

In addition, vehicle throughput at HZMB Zhuhai Port reached 1.31 million over the past 10 months, surpassing counts in all 2019 and 2020, which stood at 860,000 and 914,000, respectively. Truck throughput increased by 140 percent year on year to 300,000 during the January-October period.