The import of recycled metal raw materials at Qingdao Port increased by 87.6% without any sense of convenience (see chart)

The picture shows customs officers inspecting imported recycled copper raw materials on site, photographed by Zhang Hui

On May 7th, 25.3 tons of recycled copper raw materials imported from the UK were unloaded from the Qianwan Port area of Qingdao Port. The unloaded goods will pass through the channel type radiation monitoring equipment and preliminary machine inspection equipment, and after inspection without any abnormalities, they will be automatically scheduled and immediately transported to the customs inspection site in the southern port area of Qianwan Port for inspection through the "Customs Port Connection" system.

The entire logistics process was very smooth, achieving seamless connection of goods flow, "said Sun Ke, Assistant General Manager of the Nonferrous Metals Department of the Bulk Commodity Division of China COSCO Shipping Central China Co., Ltd.

This mode is the smart inspection mode of "one order and three exemptions" for renewable metals initiated by Huangdao Customs under Qingdao Customs. Through this mode, the implementation of radioactive detection has changed from a step-by-step approach to a timely approach, and on-site inspections have shifted from full participation by enterprises to "contactless clearance" by enterprises, resulting in a 50% increase in overall clearance efficiency.

Expanding the import of high-quality renewable resources is a key measure to implement the requirements of the 15th Five Year Plan and promote the development of circular economy, as well as to advance China's circular economy and green low-carbon development. Recycled metal resources such as copper, aluminum, iron, nickel, cobalt, etc. are of great significance in filling the gap in China's metal resource supply and ensuring the security and stability of China's metal industry supply chain. As a major province in aluminum, copper processing, new energy vehicles, home appliances and other industries, Shandong Province has seen a rapid increase in demand for imported recycled metals.

The regulatory requirements for the import of recycled metal raw materials are higher than those for ordinary goods, involving multiple links such as radioactive pollution monitoring, explosive material investigation, closed container and pressure vessel investigation, hazardous waste investigation, solid waste investigation, etc. The process is more complex and time-consuming. Faced with the rapidly growing import of recycled metal business, Sun Ke expressed his concerns.

In response to the urgent need of enterprises to improve the inspection efficiency of recycled metal raw materials, Huangdao Customs actively develops and improves the functions of the "Customs Port Connection" system and the channel type radiation monitoring equipment data system, realizing simultaneous "preliminary machine inspection" and radiation monitoring during cargo unloading, generating machine inspection images and specific radiation monitoring images, and automatically transmitting them back to the customs system. Goods with normal review of drawings will no longer undergo manual radioactive inspections and secondary machine checks.

While conducting radiation monitoring and risk investigation, we also integrate regulatory resources to monitor the logistics status of goods in real time. After completing the radioactive monitoring, the system automatically schedules inspections. Enterprises no longer need to make appointments with customs inspection departments, nor do they need to send dedicated personnel to coordinate logistics, container dropping, and inspection matters. If enterprises need to go to the inspection area to check the status of goods, they can view video or image materials outside the inspection area, realizing the inspection process without accompaniment or contact for enterprises, "said Wang Dezheng, Deputy Director of Inspection Department 6 of Huangdao Customs Inspection Department 2. The "three exemptions" model reduces the operating costs of enterprises by about 200 yuan/box, effectively avoids law enforcement interference, and prevents law enforcement and anti-corruption risks.

Huangdao Customs has also strengthened cooperation and efficient linkage with laboratories to solve problems such as difficult sampling of complex goods and long laboratory identification cycles, promoting a 63% year-on-year increase in the average time required for solid waste attribute identification. At the same time, Huangdao Customs actively coordinated with the port authorities to increase the number of dedicated inspection boxes and supporting facilities for recycled metal raw materials, and raised the upper limit of the inspection capacity for recycled metal raw materials at Qingdao Port. At present, the inspection site of Qingdao Qianwan Port Customs can accommodate 50 containers for simultaneous inspection, and will be further expanded according to the growth of import volume in the future.

Next, under the premise of good supervision, the customs will continue to optimize business processes, promote the continuous clearance and acceleration of imported recycled metal resources, and support the recycling of imported recycled metal resources, "said Wang Dezheng.

From January to April this year, Qingdao Port imported 18500 tons of recycled metal raw materials, a year-on-year increase of 87.6%. (Yang Xiaokui/Text)