From Local Coastal Tables to Global Markets! Three Powerful Initiatives by Shengsi Customs Propel Island Mussels to Overseas Shores
When talking about Zhoushan’s Shengsi, one cannot miss its sweet, plump mussels. As a pillar local industry, mussel farming and processing support the income of numerous fishermen. Nevertheless, challenges including isolated island transportation, high export‑entry barriers, inadequate testing capacity and volatile weather have long held back mussel exports. In 2021, Shengsi Customs rolled out a full‑chain support plan targeting the island industry’s pain points and achieved remarkable export results. From January to October that year, it oversaw 120 batches of mussel exports worth over 33.82 million yuan, with both indicators seeing substantial year‑on‑year growth. One enterprise exported 988 tons of mussels within a single year, 130 % higher than its total volume for the previous year.
Targeted One‑on‑One Guidance to Break Down Barriers for Access to Overseas Markets
Many local seafood processors aspire to go global yet feel overwhelmed by rigorous overseas registration procedures. Bottlenecks may occur at every stage: application documentation, workshop renovation, on‑site inspections and overseas qualification recommendations. Instead of generic policy briefings, Shengsi Customs conducted on‑site investigations into individual enterprises, drew up tailored support checklists and assigned specialists to provide on‑site, one‑on‑one follow‑up guidance. Under this support mechanism, Shunda Seafood Food Co., Ltd. successfully obtained export registration qualifications for multiple countries and unlocked brand‑new overseas sales channels. Company management acknowledged that Customs served as a solid backing for their international market expansion.
Joint‑Built Shared Laboratory Solves the Island’s Testing‑Related Cost and Technical Bottlenecks
Key production zones such as Shengshan and Gouqi Islands are scattered across archipelagos. Isolated transport, turnover of testing staff and insufficient equipment are common headaches for processors, resulting in low‑efficiency and high‑cost in‑house product testing. To address this, Customs pioneered a consolidated shared‑laboratory model, taking part in the whole process including instrument procurement, consumable selection, tester training and quality‑system establishment.
Since the shared laboratory went into operation, the local mussel industry has saved more than 500 000 yuan in testing expenses annually. Meanwhile, Customs carries out regular product sampling inspections and risk monitoring, putting in place a three‑tier quality‑control framework: “enterprise self‑management + joint‑laboratory self‑testing + Customs supervised sampling inspection”. It safeguards the safety baseline of exported aquatic products from the source and strengthens the global competitiveness of Shengsi mussels.
Proactive Emergency Customs‑Clearance Service: Racing against Typhoons and Heavy Fog for Export Timeliness
Marine weather around the islands is unpredictable. Strong winds, heavy fog and typhoons can suspend all maritime transport. Delayed customs clearance would spoil fresh mussels and inflict heavy financial losses on businesses. Shengsi Customs inspection officers keep a close eye on meteorological alerts year‑round, liaise in advance with enterprises to map out pending export cargo, and have formulated special inspection‑and‑release emergency plans for mussel shipments.
In 2021, Typhoons In‑Fa and Chanthu hit the area one after another, halting local shipping for five and six days respectively. Customs immediately activated green channels, working overtime to complete declaration, inspection and release procedures. Two batches of mussels were shipped out just before shipping suspensions, saving enterprises from substantial losses.
Closing Thoughts
The humble mussel epitomizes rural revitalization and marine foreign trade on the islands. More than a regulatory authority, Shengsi Customs acts as a service provider for marine industries. It makes up for domestic shortcomings in testing and customs clearance, researches international access standards, and helps enterprises secure global market credentials. As more processors upgrade their qualifications, standardized, high‑quality Shengsi mussels will keep gracing dining tables across the world, enabling the island’s blue fisheries to pursue a sustainable path toward internationalization.
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