Hong Kong SAR, December 12, 2024 – Federal Express Corporation, one of the world’s largest express transportation companies, announced today that the company has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) on the Cross-boundary Express Cargo Clearance Facilitation Arrangement (CEFA). FedEx is the first company to join the CEFA, which aims to increase customs clearance efficiency for cross-border shipments from mainland China to Hong Kong.
Under the MOU, C&ED will provide customs clearance at one of FedEx stations in downtown Hong Kong for inbound shipments from mainland China. The arrangement applies to shipments currently transported through FedEx cross-border trucks equipped with electronic lock (“e-lock”) and Global Positioning System (“GPS”) from the FedEx APAC Hub in Guangzhou to Hong Kong.
By joining CEFA, FedEx benefits from stable and efficient customs clearance. These shipments, delivered from APAC and Europe through the company’s flight network at its APAC Hub, will now be transported directly to FedEx stations instead of waiting for inspection at the Shenzhen Bay Control Point. Constrained shipments will be sorted and examined at a designated clearance area at one of the FedEx stations by the C&ED.
“We are excited to sign the MOU with Hong Kong C&ED to join CEFA, and deepen our partnership with the Hong Kong Customs by implementing an innovative customs clearance process,” said Anthony Leung, managing director of FedEx Hong Kong and Macau. “We operate over 200 cross-border trucks weekly between our APAC Hub in Guangzhou and Hong Kong. This strategic partnership enhances customs clearance efficiency for the inbound shipments from mainland China, APAC, and Europe and supports our local e-commerce customers who import goods from those markets. By leveraging our extensive network and customs clearance capabilities, we can provide efficient and flexible services to meet the growing market demands in the city and the Greater Bay Area.”
In the Hong Kong 2024 Policy Address announced by HKSAR government[1], developing smart logistics port with upgraded functions has become one of the major focuses in the city. The CEFA enhances the efficiency of trade and commerce flow between Hong Kong and other cities in the GBA. Data shows Hong Kong’s total merchandise trade with the world amounted to HK$ 8,822.4 billion in 2023, with mainland China being one of the major trading partners[2]. Hong Kong’s e-commerce market revenue is expected to grow at an annual rate of 8.72% through 2029, with the highest revenue generated in Mainland China[3]. Hong Kong serves not only as an international trade hub but also as a trading and logistics centre in the Greater Bay Area.
FedEx continues to work with C&ED to strengthen clearance efficiency and has been accredited as an Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Tier 2 in Hong Kong since 2014. The company has also received the Elite Enterprise Partnership Award consecutively for its contributions to Hong Kong Customs.