Shanghai Bonded Zone Connects Sea, Road and Rail Freight

FTZ News: The Waigaoqiao Port Comprehensive Bonded Zone handled 32.54 billion yuan, about $4.87 billion, in imports and exports in the first half of 2026, up 31.7 percent from a year earlier.

Two recent shipments show cargo changing modes inside the zone. In one case, 55 imported off-road vehicles were unloaded from a ship, kept under customs supervision, and re-exported to Kazakhstan under the TIR road system. In another, 23.6 metric tons of licorice extract arrived from Tajikistan by rail through the Khorgos checkpoint, went into bonded storage in Shanghai, and was later shipped overseas.

The arrangement lets companies hold goods until orders are confirmed, while deferring duties and potentially reducing extra handling and overseas storage costs.The zone has also worked with customs to coordinate document checks, data verification and cargo release across transport modes.In the 2025 national evaluation of comprehensive bonded zones, Waigaoqiao ranked 27th and received a Category A rating.

Phase II of the Shanghai–Suzhou–Nantong Railway is planned to add a container centre station and loading lines at Waigaoqiao so rail can connect directly with port operations./.