On August 29, 2025, the 2025 International Chemical Logistics Development Seminar, hosted by the Hazardous Chemicals Logistics Branch of the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing, was successfully held in Shanghai. The conference attracted more than 80 representatives from chemical production and trade enterprises, chemical logistics enterprises, ports, packaging, testing, certification, and related technical service providers, focusing on the core needs of domestic chemical enterprises. The conference focused on macro market analysis, customs compliance interpretation, as well as logistics solutions including cross-border shipping, air transportation, highways, packaging, and multiple dimensions such as China Europe, China US, Central Asia, and ASEAN, thereby assisting the development of international chemical logistics in China.
Hu Lan, Director of the Comprehensive Department of the Hazardous Chemicals Logistics Branch of China National Chemical Corporation, presided over the meeting. Cai Zhiyang deeply analyzed the market background and development potential of China's international chemical logistics. He pointed out that despite the slowdown in global economic growth and increased trade uncertainty, China continues to maintain its important position in international trade of chemicals with its complete manufacturing system and strong supply chain. Specifically, the export structure of the chemical industry continues to optimize, with lithium battery exports increasing by 25.14% year-on-year, indicating a significant trend towards high-end and green industries. At the same time, China has significant advantages in cross-border logistics infrastructure: the world's largest port cargo and container throughput, global leadership in the three major indicators of shipbuilding industry, rapid development of air freight, and high-speed growth of TIR transportation, all of which provide a solid foundation for international logistics of chemical products. But it also faces multiple challenges such as green barriers, data silos, inconsistent standards, payment risks, compliance, and talent. Finally, he expressed the hope that the entire industry can work together to overcome bottlenecks and jointly build a safe and efficient international logistics ecosystem for the chemical industry.
Ma Teng gave a speech on the theme of "Strengthening the Bottom Line of Safety and Promoting Trade Development", comprehensively and systematically sorting out the important new requirements for dangerous goods and chemicals in the international and domestic regulatory systems, including TDG, DRG, the Import and Export Commodity Inspection Law of the People's Republic of China, etc., providing guidance for industry compliance operations. Subsequently, taking the case of imported water-based paint not declared as hazardous chemicals investigated and dealt with at Shanghai Port as an example, the importance and technical methods of classifying and identifying hazardous characteristics were explained in detail. In response to the new challenges brought about by the rapid development of the new energy industry, he focused on explaining the special safety management requirements for new products such as lithium batteries during transportation, such as key technical links such as packaging specifications, testing standards, and certification procedures.
During the communication session, representatives from companies such as BASF, Arkema, Huntsman, Sinopec, and Hualu Hengsheng were invited to discuss the logistics needs and expectations of international chemical business from the perspective of shippers.
Liang Liang mentioned that currently facing complex and highly uncertain processes such as booking, customs clearance, bill of lading processing, and export customs declaration, as well as frequent updates to relevant regulations, hinder business progress. He hopes to use electronic tools to shorten process time and reduce costs. In addition, there is a phenomenon of repeated customs inspections during import. Multiple unpacking inspections are not only time-consuming, but may also cause damage to temperature sensitive and other special goods. It is recommended to simplify the inspection process, improve customs clearance efficiency, and ensure the quality of goods. At the same time, there are obvious bottlenecks in the export of dangerous goods by railway transportation. We hope to explore the compliance path of international railway transportation with industry enterprises and broaden the international transportation channels for chemicals.
Sun Qingmin pointed out that most logistics suppliers have insufficient regulatory reserves and enforcement capabilities in internationalization and segmented fields, making it difficult to meet the basic needs of shippers for international logistics compliance. In response to this dilemma, he proposed two specific solutions: one is to promote collaborative action at the industry level, integrating the storage and transportation regulations and updates of various countries into the platform, achieving real-time information sharing and transparency, and solving the problem of logistics enterprises obtaining scattered and lagging regulatory information; The second is to strengthen the empowerment of local logistics suppliers, carry out targeted training around the regulations of the destination country, ensure that the operational processes of local suppliers fully comply with the compliance requirements of the destination country, and avoid compliance risks from the execution end.
Zhang Chi mentioned that firstly, in terms of compliance and risk prevention throughout the entire chain, he hopes that logistics partners can provide professional services such as cargo classification and identification, declaration of precursor drugs, and emergency response to sudden incidents; Secondly, we hope to integrate transportation and storage modes such as sea freight, railway, and warehousing to achieve end-to-end service from the factory to the customer; Thirdly, focusing on cost and efficiency optimization can promote the improvement of handover efficiency in electronic order systems, and explore optimization methods and economies of scale for bulk shipping to reduce costs; Fourth, when expanding the overseas operation center, it is necessary to support a localized logistics network, focus on the areas along the "the Belt and Road", and call for the inspection of pilot export commodity production sites to reduce the time consumption caused by transportation and repeated commodity inspection.
The 2025 International Logistics Development Seminar for Chemicals has successfully concluded in Shanghai. We look forward to all parties in the industry using this forum as a link to continue deepening collaborative cooperation, focusing on the pain points and difficulties of cross-border chemical logistics, and breaking through the bottlenecks that restrict circulation efficiency; We will also seize the opportunity of global chemical industry layout adjustment, empower logistics upgrading with technological innovation, practice sustainable development with green logistics, and jointly build a more efficient, safer, and competitive international logistics system for chemical products.