Shanghai opens first port dedicated to live seafood
Published on 13/06/2017
On the morning of Monday 12 June 2017 a Russian ship docked at Hengsha at the Port of Shanghai. Not an unusual sight – Shanghai is the world’s busiest port after all – but its cargo was a little out of ordinary. Instead of cars, construction materials or other conventional Russian exports, the vessel that sailed into Shanghai that day was carrying 50 tons of live king crab.
This marks the opening of the city’s first port specialising in the trade of live seafood products.
Hengsha: Shanghai’s new live seafood port
Hengsha is a low-lying island located in the mouth of the Yangtze River, perfectly positioned to receive cargo ships headed to the Port of Shanghai. Previously, it held little infrastructure related to trade; just a ferry terminal connecting it to the mainland and other nearby islands.
Now it is gearing up to become Shanghai’s first port of call for imported seafood.
Located at Hangshe is a specially designed pool catering for live aquatic animals. This 2,500 square metre feature is equipped with a seawater circulation system and temperature controls for temporarily holding fish and seafood before they enter the market proper.
Hengshe will rely on the Shanghai Exit-Entry Inspection and Quarantine Bureau to provide easier custom clearances for exporters, in order to heighten survival rates of these species – something China is struggling to deal with across the supply chain.
Previously, Shanghai received shipments of live species, such as crabs and lobsters, by air or from other Chinese ports. Now it no longer has to. Inbound shipment volumes could significantly increase as the city expands its seafood-handling facilities via Hengshe.
With the opening of Hengsha, seafood from Russian waters can reach Shanghai’s consumers in just six days. While this is a boon for Russian producers, it could also prove beneficial for other seafood-producing companies in nations in range of China, such as Thailand, India, or Vietnam.
Shanghai is China’s seafood centre
Shanghai is already China’s primary entry
gateway for seafood imports, according to Xinhua Net. The city’s imports of seafood are on the rise too, reflecting China’s voracious, constantly growing hunger for aquatic products. These grew 34.7% during January-April 2016, peaking at 34,000 tons.
It is also one of the cities bumping up Chinese average seafood consumption too, thanks to a) its huge population, b) heightened buying power against non-urban China, and c) its strategic position as China’s largest seafood port.
The city’s geographic position, where the Yangtze meets the sea, also makes it the ideal disruption centre. For over 6,000 kilometres, Asia’s longest river meanders through the Chinese heartland, passing major cities such as Nanjing, Wuhan, and Chongqing, allow products to reach millions of potential customers. And that is not even mentioning Shanghai’s road, rail and air links.
Discover the city’s huge potential at World Seafood (SIFSE) Shanghai 2017
Hangshe’s opening has made an already extremely attractive destination for seafood all the more enticing. For exporters looking to make headway into China, Shanghai should be your number one destination – and there is only one place to meet the city’s biggest seafood buyers, distributors and importers:
World Seafood Shanghai (SIFSE).
Held at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre between 19-21 August, the event is a specialised fish and seafood exhibition aimed at closing local supply gaps and meeting China’s massive demand aquatic products.
Want to grow your leads in the world’s biggest city and foremost seafood market? You need to be at SIFSE 2017.
Get in touch now to discuss your participation opportunities.