Shenzhen Hutchison Inland Container Depots (SHICD), a member of Hutchison Port Holdings, will soon launch a two-phase expansion programme. The existing Phase I of the project will see another two export supervisory warehouses built, each covering an area of over two hectares. The construction work of the first warehouse will start this month, and it will open in 2010. The second one is scheduled to be completed by 2011. Meanwhile, preparation work for the 25-hectare Phase II project is also well underway. Upon completion of the two projects, SHICD will have a total area of 60 hectares, and will be the largest warehousing facility in South China.

SHICD is one of the first batch of enterprises authorised to offer immediate tax rebates once the export cargo enters the warehouse. It also is one of the city's first 24-hour export supervisory warehouses and the only "inland port" in the Dapeng Customs Zone that provides on-site declaration services. It allows for convenient one-stop customs clearance services. Export cargo from the SHICD depot can be directly transported by GPS-equipped container trucks to Yantian Port for immediate loading, further simplifying customs clearance procedures. Additionally, SHICD is an important supporting facility for Yantian Port, supplying an empty container depot for the port.

SHICD's proprietary state-of-the-art computer systems provide a host of other value-added logistics services. For example, the facility's Warehouse Management System allows international and domestic clients to conduct inventory checks at any time in any location. Meanwhile, the Customs Clearance System facilitates cargo supervision and inquiries by customs authorities. The CCTV system, installed in every warehouse, enables cargo owners to make full-view inspection of their cargo. SHICD is the only warehousing facility in Shenzhen that boasts an on-site quality inspection service centre in each warehouse, where the final inspection procedure for outbound cargo is conducted. Finally, SHICD offers Distribution Centre Bypass services for consolidation and de-consolidation, saving customers the cost of having to procure those services at foreign destinations.

Summing up the benefits of the facility, Stephen Au, General Manager of SHICD, said, "Customers will find our many value-added services to be convenient and cost-effective. These services also create local job opportunities."