Ningbo is situated on the edge of the China East Sea at the southern tip of the Chang Jiang River Delta, facing Shanghai across the Hangzhou Gulf. The city is not only the economic centre of Zhejiang Province, but also one of the most economically active zones in China. Ningbo’s unique asset is its deepwater port, which is being developed by the municipal government.

Background

Ningbo’s container throughput reached 2.772 million TEUs in 2003, a 49% jump compared since 2002. This growth has maintained Ningbo’s standing as the nation’s fastest-growing port, for the fifth consecutive year. Cargo throughput that year also reached 185 million tonnes, an increase of 21% compared with the previous year, making Ningbo the second-busiest port in the country and one of the world’s Top Ten ports. Ningbo’s total import and export transactions increased 62.5%, while taxes received by Ningbo’s Customs Bureau increased 66% - to RMB19.8 billion. The rise in tax revenue was the largest in the country, and the seventh highest of the 42 bureaux nationwide.

This continual increase in import and export trading has made it essential to improve Ningbo’s port infrastructure. Experts suggested that a comprehensive integration of the information systems that offer customs and logistics information in a scalable manner is a must for Ningbo’s further development. Consequently, at the first meeting of the Ningbo Port Co-ordination Committee in June 2003, the members agreed on a five-year plan to build a scalable e-commerce platform to facilitate customs-clearing and logistics development. Various groups - including the Ningbo municipal government, Ningbo Customs Bureau, Ningbo Inspection Bureau, Ningbo Port Group and China Electronic Port Information Centre (Ningbo Branch) - jointly established Ningbo Portal International Logistics Information Company Limited (Ningbo Portal) in November 2003 to carry out this task. At the same time, the construction of Ningbo electronic port (Ningbo e-port) was also officially commenced.

Ningbo electronic port

The Ningbo e-port information platform (http://www.npedi.com) is the result of the integration of two websites, the Ningbo Customs and Public Services Information (http://www.nbedi.com) and Ningbo Port EDI Centre (http://www.npedi.com).

This unified port information platform enables government departments, trading units and logistics entities to exchange information. The platform provides several key functions, including doing business on the Internet, sharing and exchanging of information, assessment of enterprise credibility and evaluation of government efficiency. It also eliminates manual data entry and transmission, providing a smoother, faster and more efficient flow of information, plus a one-stop customs clearance service.

Ningbo e-port’s strategic aim is to provide enterprises with the largest amount of added value services for the lowest logistics cost, thus upgrading the port to an international level. In 2003, Ningbo completed the third phase of its customs clearance infrastructure construction with the birth of Ningbo e-port (http://www.cnnbport.com).

The new platform seeks to integrate information systems that are scattered amongst the various ports, government organisations and enterprises. It will also bring under one umbrella Ningbo’s foreign trading enterprises, relevant local logistics units and customs clearance, creating a one-stop service

Ningbo e-port’s initial phase provides an electronic information exchange for logistics, information, and capital flow. Ocean-borne container transportation business is the core of an electronic information exchange platform between enterprises, and various government departments.

Ningbo e-port also enables business transactions amongst government departments, sellers, buyers, ports, ocean forwarders, banks, insurance companies and business inspection organisations. Featuring an open model, Ningbo e-port encourages the interaction of information, materials, and capital among various major stakeholders.

As the e-port matures, it will gradually develop information exchanges for air and land transport organisations and ultimately become a regional logistics platform that connects the city with
the world.

Ultimately, Ningbo e-port aims to enhance customs clearance efficiency by implementing the “Five Ones”:

• One entry, multiple use;
• One window, comprehensive enquiry;
• One system, classified services;
• One amendment, all records updated;
• One fee submission for all customs clearance.

Position of e-port

Ningbo e-port is a milestone that marks the transition of Ningbo’s port information from scattered applications to an integrated and comprehensive network. This integration of resources will increase the scalability and standard of the port, enhancing its competitiveness in international markets. The first phase aims to increase the efficiency of port customs clearance, and encourage synergy and co-operation between and Ningbo e-port and various parties including the legal judicial units.

So far, two aspects have been completed. Overall planning of Ningbo e-port has been finished, establishing a strong base for further development of the e-port.

Secondly, existing resources such as the Customs Public Services Information websites and the Ningbo port EDI Centre have been integrated to support the increased number of enquiries. This has enhanced the platform’s overall performance, while the Ningbo e-port Door website system is being developed to handle more than 20 cases.

Expansion of e-commerce

Tradelink Electronic Commerce Limited and Digital Trade & Transportation Network (DTTN) Company Limited is co-operating with Ningbo Portal to implement the project and further develop Ningbo e-port. The company will take Hong Kong’s DTTN as a blueprint and exchange ideas with its Ningbo counterparts on issues such as definitions, design, development, testing and checking, operations and service launches.

Ningbo Portal’s development objectives are based on facilitating port establishment, foreign trading and customs clearance, as suggested by the municipal committee and the municipal government.

It is hoped that the company will be a well-known and influential enterprise both locally and internationally in three to five years, with a port-logistics information system, an e-commerce infrastructure and an operations platform, with advanced technology and high quality management. Eventually, its expertise will be felt in international trade as a specialist in related software development and application service provider.

Tradelink has extensive experience in planning and establishing a DTTN and is sharing its expertise with Ningbo Portal.

The two parties are exchanging ideas on document setting, infrastructure, management profile and service level definitions. In addition, Tradelink is advising Ningbo Portal on the adaptation of DTTN documents that meet local requirements. Other major subjects being discussed between the two parties include evaluation of suppliers, project management, and suggestions on technical structure.

Looking ahead, DTTN Company Limited in Hong Kong and Ningbo Portal are exploring ways to inter-connect their respective electronic platforms in order to promote various government services, such as customs and quarantine, as well as encourage the development of cross-border e-commerce business.

Although Ningbo e-port development is still in the first phase, its establishment is already a major step forward in cross-border e-commerce trading. This advanced e-commerce platform will be able to efficiently promote Ningbo’s trading and logistics, thus developing the city into one of the main e-commerce cities in China.