Shanghai delivery rider volunteers to deliver more than a ton of daily necessities a day. Screenshot of Daxiang News

Shanghai's express industry officially restarted on Wednesday, with a truck driver from STO Express smoothly transporting the first batch of supplies from the city to North China's Tianjin with the nationally unified pass on Wednesday morning.

Fang Sheng, transfer center manager from STO Express in Pudong district, said in a media interview that the number of drivers who have a unified pass is increasing, showing that the company is one step closer to a full resumption of work, after the Shanghai Municipal Postal Administration issued the city's first vehicle pass for key material transportation to the company on Sunday.

As recent flare-ups of COVID-19 have disrupted the national logistics network, the country vowed to ensure the smooth transport of key materials, releasing a nationally unified pass for cross-provincial vehicles that carry key materials among the epidemic-hit areas.

Fang said that the company will maintain its transportation capacity and cooperate with arrangements for the resumption of work, in a bid to deliver more supplies to Shanghai's residents.

Other delivery enterprises are actively promoting the resumption of work.

Yunda Express said in a statement sent to the Global Times on Wednesday that it had set up a special team to comprehensively promote the implementation of the resumption of work and production, as well as ensuring smooth transport within Shanghai. 

Its outlets and distribution centers in the city are applying for passes for eligible vehicles and personnel.

YTO Express also established a special working group to ensure smooth flows within Shanghai, pledging to provide efficient and solid logistics for the city's resumption of work and production through its strong network.

ZTO Express strives to ensure the orderly deployment of epidemic prevention materials, living necessities and production materials, as well as the safety of couriers by promptly disinfecting express vehicles and enhancing nucleic acid testing. 

The first batch of goods that the truck driver transported Wednesday morning was composed of key materials, but personal express delivery services for parcels sent to and from Shanghai are still suspended, two staff members from STO Express in Pudong and Jingan districts told the Global Times on Wednesday. The company will wait for official notification before it can resume such services.

A salesperson at an online bookstore in Shanghai confirmed to the Global Times that the warehouse is still suspending shipments.

The State Council stressed on Wednesday that it is necessary to strengthen support for freight operators. From May 1 to the end of the year, income of eligible collection and delivery services is exempt from value-added tax. Moreover, it asked to launch 100 billion yuan ($15.3 billion) of refinancing loans as soon as possible to support the financing of enterprises in logistics and warehousing sectors.

The Shanghai Municipal Postal Administration noted that it will further implement the review and issuance of vehicle passes for key materials, coordinating with epidemic prevention and control measures, in a move to ensure the safety and smooth operation of the city's delivery channels.

Global Times