The first train departs under the new Ningbo-Jinhua import sea-rail multimodal transport model. [Photo by Xiang Lianmei/Yongpai App]

Zhejiang province has launched a pilot program for a new customs-backed multimodal transport model, marking a major step toward more efficient import and export logistics.

The initiative, jointly implemented by customs authorities in Hangzhou and Ningbo, places Ningbo-Zhoushan Port at the center of the new system.

On the import side, two batches of containerized goods cleared by Ningbo Customs were transported from Ningbo-Zhoushan Port to inland destinations including Jinhua and Fuyang via rail freight services and feeder vessels on Jan 27.

At the same time, two batches of export containers released by Hangzhou Customs were shipped from Yiwu and Wenzhou to Ningbo-Zhoushan Port through sea-rail and water-water multimodal routes, before being transferred under customs supervision onto outbound vessels bound for Nigeria and France.

The coordinated launch of four routes signals the successful rollout of the General Administration of Customs' new multimodal transport business model for sea-rail and water-water transportation, with Zhejiang taking the lead nationwide.

The new model addresses long-standing challenges in fragmented logistics operations by replacing multiple declarations and segmented procedures with a single multimodal transport document covering the entire domestic leg.

By integrating the long-distance, high-capacity advantages of rail transport with the cost efficiency of waterway shipping, the model enables faster transfers, seamless connections and lower logistics costs.

Customs authorities said the model will be extended to more regions, allowing Ningbo-Zhoushan Port's functions to reach feeder ports and dry ports across the province and enabling foreign trade enterprises to access international shipping channels directly from their doorstep.