Pudong Airport reports an over 60 percent increase in daily average cargo volumes on May 1-12, compared with the same period the previous month. [Photo/WeChat account ID: gh_01c0f79320c5]

In the wake of the continued resumption of work and the output of businesses in the economic powerhouse of Shanghai in East China, the Shanghai Airport Authority – or SAA – has placed equal emphasis on COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control and safe production.

With the support of joint inspection departments – including the customs and the immigration inspection offices – the SAA has rolled out a raft of measures to improve the efficiency of aviation logistics, to help ensure the normal operations of Shanghai's core functions.

According to statistics, since the start of May the cargo throughput of Shanghai Pudong International Airport has rebounded. During May 1-12, an average of 118 cargo flights departed and arrived at Pudong Airport per day, with an average daily cargo volume of over 5,300 metric tons – up 37.02 percent and 64.65 percent, respectively, on the same period last month.

To better serve the enterprises engaged in key sectors – such as integrated circuits, biomedicines and auto parts in Shanghai and in the Yangtze River Delta region – the cargo terminal of Pudong Airport planned out routes for haulage vehicles in advance.

Moreover, it issued temporary passes for operators and truck drivers, among others. It has also launched a fast-track channel, to ensure urgently needed materials are dispatched the same day they arrive.

The airport has also got into close contact with domestic and overseas cargo airlines, ensuring they are included in the work resumption list. At present, among the 34 Chinese and foreign all-cargo airlines operating at Pudong Airport, nearly half of the airlines' capacity has recovered to more than 80 percent, while one-third of the airlines' capacity has recovered to 50-80 percent.

A special team is established to ensure the fast-track clearance of inbound goods at Pudong Airport. [Photo/WeChat account ID: gh_01c0f79320c5]

Relying on the mechanisms and platforms established by the Ministry of Transportation and Shanghai to guarantee smooth supplies, a special working team was set up to solve transport bottlenecks experienced by freight vehicles in Shanghai and across the provinces.

To date, it has issued more than 4,000 in-city passes to freight-related companies and has helped issue over 200 cross-provincial passes to ensure the speedy clearance and dispatching of inbound goods.