On August 11, the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Commerce announced the first batch of provincial-level top institutional innovation cases for the China (Zhejiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ) in 2025. Among them, the Ningbo area contributed 10 selected cases.

In the field of innovative management models for new trade formats, Ningbo’s "Innovative Full-Process Supervision Model for Offshore Trade" stood out.

In April this year, the Ningbo FTZ Management Committee spearheaded the establishment of Zhejiang’s first digitalized comprehensive offshore trade service platform. This platform breaks down data barriers among enterprises, banks, and government agencies by conducting real-time cross-analysis between company-reported data and multi-dimensional databases (such as maritime and air freight data), automatically generating verification reports for offshore trade. This effectively resolves the "difficulty in supervision" faced by regulators and the "difficulty in authenticity verification" encountered by banks in offshore trade transactions.

“Since its launch, the platform has significantly reduced costs for trade background verification, while cross-validation across multiple databases has greatly improved efficiency—achieving ‘more data empowerment, less corporate hassle’,” explained a relevant official from the FTZ Policy and Regulations Bureau of the development zone.

At the institutional level, Ningbo also introduced the "Interim Measures for the Supervision of Offshore Trade in the Zhejiang FTZ Ningbo Area" and established a coordinated management mechanism for offshore trade operations. These measures have further reduced transaction costs for businesses and strengthened Ningbo’s ability to allocate global bulk commodity resources.

In the field of institutional reforms for bulk commodity resource allocation, cases such as "Innovative High-Quality Protein Cold Chain Development Model" and "New International Ship Registration Model for ‘Zhejiang Ningbo Zhoushan Port’" also garnered significant attention and recognition.

The former centers on the Meishan International Cold Chain Project, establishing Zhejiang’s largest and most comprehensive port-based cold chain hub, integrating commercial flow, logistics, capital flow, and information flow ("four flows in one"). This enhances the efficiency of cold chain imports and customs clearance while fostering new business models like cold chain supply chain value-added services.

The latter focuses on the theme of "one port for the whole zone, one-stop service," unifying the port of registry for ships registered under the Zhejiang FTZ as "Zhejiang Ningbo Zhoushan Port." This creates a more open and convenient "preferred destination" for international ship registration, opening new pathways for the return of "Zhejiang-owned flag-of-convenience ships" and attracting international vessels.

“Moving forward, the Ningbo area will further promote, apply, and deepen institutional innovations based on practical needs, transforming more innovative measures into tangible development outcomes to elevate FTZ construction to new heights,” said the official from the FTZ Policy and Regulations Bureau.

[More on the News]

First Batch of Provincial-Level Top Institutional Innovation Cases for China (Zhejiang) FTZ in 2025 (Partial List)

I. Innovative Management Models for New Trade Formats

Innovative Full-Process Supervision Model for Offshore Trade (Ningbo Area)

New Three Categories" Export "Express Lane" Service Reform (Zhejiang Maritime Safety Administration, Ningbo Area)

II. Institutional Reforms for Bulk Commodity Resource Allocation

Innovative High-Quality Protein Cold Chain Development Model (Ningbo Area)

New International Ship Registration Model for "Zhejiang Ningbo Zhoushan Port" (Zhejiang Maritime Safety Administration, Ningbo Area)

III. inancial and Tax Reform Innovations

Innovative "Integrated Trade Service + Cross-Border E-Commerce" Facilitation Model for Settlement (Ningbo Area)

IV. Institutional and Mechanism Reforms for Efficient and Convenient Cross-Border Flow of Factors

"Zhejiang e-Port Connect" Enhances Customs Clearance Efficiency for Maritime Cargo (Zhejiang Ocean Economy Department, Zhejiang Seaport Group, Ningbo Area)

Innovative "Single Declaration" Supervision Model for International Voyage Ships (Ningbo Area)

Smart and Convenient Health Quarantine Inspection for Ships (Ningbo Customs, Ningbo Area)

"One-Stop Service" Reform for Crew Boarding (Ningbo Area)

Innovative Entry-Exit Service Mechanism Boosts Inbound Tourism in Pilot FTZs (Provincial Public Security Department, Zhoushan Area, Ningbo Area, Hangzhou Area, Jinyi Area) (Reporter: Zhang Kaikai; Correspondent: Zhu Lidan)