Inaugural GMS-marked Truck on Shenzhen-Vietnam Route Officially Operational

Shenzhen (ANTARA) - A truck marked with the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Cross-Border Transport Agreement was recently dispatched from Shenzhen City and headed to Vietnam via the Youyiguan Border Port in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in southern China.

This marks the opening of operations for the first GMS international expressway freight dispatch from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in southern China, according to a press release from relevant customs and transportation authorities, as reported by Xinhua on Wednesday.

By leveraging policy facilitations under the GMS agreement, namely “one permit recognised and approved across all six countries”, the cargo can be delivered to its final destination with just one loading, without needing to change trucks or unload and reload.

This significantly cuts transportation time and costs while reducing the risk of damage during the shipping process.

The truck, loaded with high-value electronic components weighing 16 tonnes, departed from the Qianhai Shenzhen Comprehensive Bonded Zone on 20 March and symbolises the inauguration of a new major cross-border logistics route connecting the Greater Bay Area with Southeast Asian countries, the release stated.

Sun Jialin, general manager of a Shenzhen-based logistics company, described this shipping mode as door-to-door logistics that reduces delivery time by 30% and logistics costs by 15%.

Customs authorities have adjusted loading and inspection processes for GMS shipments, while also pre-accepting and examining GMS cargo certifications and routes.

Additionally, Shenzhen customs has enhanced coordination with customs along the shipping route regarding customs clearance and tax refunds in specific zones. These efforts aim to maximise transportation efficiency between the Greater Bay Area and ASEAN countries, while strengthening industrial and supply chain synergies in the relevant regions.