Shanghai and Chongqing sign a memorandum of cooperation on the Shanghai-Chongqing direct express line in Shanghai on Jan 15. [Photo/WeChat account: scofcom]

Government departments and enterprises in Shanghai and Chongqing signed a memorandum of cooperation in Shanghai on Jan 15, marking the official opening of the Shanghai-Chongqing direct express line.

Relying on the cooperation mechanism of port clearance, Shanghai and Chongqing have maintained close contact over the years. The containers passing in and out of Shanghai port have accounted for more than 70 percent of the container throughput of Chongqing port.

The Shanghai-Chongqing direct express line is a fast water transport channel between the two cities' ports. It began pilot operations in May 2019 with the goal of improving the business environment and facilitating cross-border trade.

By the end of December 2019, the express line had handled 315 vessels and 86,000 TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) of containers. The average time from Chongqing to Shanghai (downriver) is 11 days, and the average time from Shanghai to Chongqing is 15.8 days. The times are more than 40 percent shorter than those before the operation of the express line.

According to officials, the Shanghai-Chongqing direct express line helps the two cities to better implement the national strategies of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and Yangtze River Delta integrated development.