Hong Kong Air Cargo Industry Services Limited, wholly owned logistics subsidiary of Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited, has opened its Nansha depot in southern Guangzhou which is specifically targeted at the e-commerce sector.

A road-feeder service consisting of bonded trucks will transport shipments from Hong Kong International Airport to Nansha in three hours, and customers will be able to take advantage of simplified customs procedures, according to Hacis. Imported e-commerce cargo leaving the bonded area in Nansha will only be subjected to the tax imposed on luggage and postal items, and not a value-added tax or consumption tax.

“Chinese consumers are increasingly seeking overseas commodities such as healthcare products and foodstuffs, and ordering these online,” said Vivien Lau, managing director of Hacis. “As the e-commerce market matures and becomes more price-driven, fulfilment is moving closer to the market to achieve economies of scale and cost reductions in logistics. Hong Kong has the global air services needed by this growing business, and Hacis’ opportunity is to provide reliable and highly-cost-efficient onward connections to the new generation of e-commerce fulfilment centres in China.”

The Nansha depot Hacis’ seventh inland cargo depot in mainland China, and is located in the Guangdong Free Trade Zone, according to Hacis. It underwent a number of trial runs before formally commencing service.

Nansha, which became China’s sixth State-level New Area in 2012 and is now one of eight pilot cross-border e-commerce zones approved the Chinese government.