Zhongshan on October 16 launched the service of direct entry for maintenance for ships from Hong Kong and Macao, and the first ship from Hong Kong successfully cleared customs of the Zhongshan Port Customs.

Currently, Zhongshan's Torch Development Zone and Shenwan Town are home to a number of ship maintenance and manufacturing enterprises that are engaged in maintenance services for official vessels and engineering vessels from Hong Kong and Macao. In the past, upon receiving orders from ships from overseas, these enterprises would have to use tugboats, pushers or barges to transport the unpiloted and unmanned ships. Currently, ships in need can directly dock at the shipping terminal and outward transport terminal of Zhongshan Port, and the freight terminal of Shenwan Port for customs clearance.

There are five pilot ship maintenance enterprises for this service in Zhongshan, namely Zhiyang, Honghong, Lidefeng, Yuexin Ocean Engineering and Shenghang.

Huang Tianzhun, general manager of Zhiyang, said launching this service can help the company save over one million yuan per year in the expenses of transporting ships, and the streamlined customs clearance process would help attract more orders.