Ningbo in East China's Zhejiang province unveiled 29 measures on May 9 to further facilitate cross-border trade in the city, local media reported.

Among the newly-released measures are improvements to services for companies that are included in the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) program.

Ningbo is currently home to 108 AEO companies, with their aggregated foreign trade value accounting for one sixth of the city's total, official statistics show.

Concerted efforts, meanwhile, will be made to promote the smart transformation of port operations, and facilitate the sharing of information related to customs clearance, according to the local government.

In addition, the city will strive to expand its seaborne transportation services domestically in places like Jiangsu, Jiangxi and Chongqing, as well as landlocked areas.

International vessels will also be allowed to temporarily switch ports in Ningbo, local authorities announced.

Ningbo's business climate has been continuously improving in recent years.

Ningbo Zhoushan Port handled 1.25 billion metric tons of cargo in 2022, topping the global rankings for the 14th straight year. The port's container throughput volume reached 33.35 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in the past year, ranking third globally.

For many years in a row, Ningbo's business climate has received the highest rating among port cities worldwide.

In 2022, it was ranked first nationwide in terms of the customs clearance efficiency for exports, while its efficiency for imports was ranked second.