A batch of computer expansion cards were cleared by customs under the "Single E-lock Scheme" mode. [Photo by Wen Bo]

A truck carrying Wistron InfoComm (Zhongshan) Corporation's commodities was declared for export at the Zhongshan Bonded Logistics Center on July 29 morning. It exited through the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge port, and was transported to the Hong Kong International Airport under the fast "Single E-lock Scheme" (SELS) clearance mode.

This truck left the Zhongshan Bonded Logistics Center at 12:00 and arrived at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge port at 13:45. It went straight to the Hong Kong International Airport after the customs clearance.

It was the first batch of Zhongshan exit commodities exported via the Zhongshan Bonded Logistics Center under SELS. These commodities were computer expansion cards.

Wistron InfoComm is an "import and export tycoon" in Zhongshan, with an average import and export of over 200 batches of commodities per day. In the past, commodities went to Hong Kong via Huanggang Port, taking about 5 hours. The time could be cut to about 4 hours when commodities were transported to Hong Kong via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. Presently, under the SELS mode, the time has been further shortened.

According to Zhongshan Customs, SELS refers to interconnection between the "QuickPass" of the Mainland Customs and "Intermodal Transshipment Facilitation Scheme" of the Hong Kong Customs, thus creating a green logistics channel between Guangdong and Hong Kong and providing seamless customs clearance services to companies. One single e-lock and the technology of GPS as accredited by both Customs authorities are applied under the scheme on the principle of "Across the Boundary with One Single E-lock under Separate Monitoring" and hence duplicate inspection on the same shipment by both Customs authorities at the boundary would be reduced, which helps to streamline the clearance process and expedite the flow of transshipment cargoes.