A cargo ship carrying nine ultra-large wind turbine blades sets sail from a port in Qidong. [Photo/WeChat account: qidongfabu]

From January to May, Qidong, a county-level city in Nantong, Jiangsu province, had total trade in goods worth 12.33 billion yuan ($1.72 billion), which is an 8 percent rise compared to the previous year. Exports made up 10.03 billion yuan, marking an increase of 39.8 percent.

A major driver of this growth is COSCO Shipping (Qidong) Offshore Engineering. The company has expanded its product range by investing in a larger dual-span workshop and building a new steel pretreatment plant with advanced machinery last year. These initiatives have established a strong basis for large-scale, high-quality manufacturing.

In the first five months of this year, the company exported offshore vessels worth 2.45 billion yuan. Orders are planned through 2027.

"The steady development of our foreign trade would not be possible without the efficient services and strong support from customs authorities," said Yan Botao, manager of the company's materials department.

Qidong Customs has introduced a streamlined process to support large local offshore companies by establishing a green export channel. This service provides cloud-based certificate issuance and on-demand inspection options. Firms can now apply online, get certificates instantly, and benefit from zero-wait inspections, guaranteeing prompt delivery.

Furthermore, Qidong Customs has established an entire digital process for applying for certificates of origin. This system lowers labor expenses and improves trade facilitation for regional enterprises.