Ningbo airport sees foreign trade surge in H1

Customs officers inspect imported fresh produce at Ningbo Lishe International Airport. [Photo by Hu Bobo/Yongpai App]

Ningbo Lishe International Airport posted robust foreign trade growth in the first half of 2026, with total imports and exports reaching 19.76 billion yuan ($2.91 billion), up 130 percent year-on-year, according to Ningbo Customs.

The airport's trade expansion was driven by strong demand for high-value goods. Exports of mechanical and electrical products, the airport's largest export category, climbed 330 percent to 12.62 billion yuan. On the import side, mechanical and electrical products totaled 3.48 billion yuan, up 72 percent, while agricultural products surged 310 percent to 670 million yuan.

Ningbo airport now operates 10 international cargo routes connecting major destinations such as Liege, New York, and Dhaka, forming an efficient logistics network linking Asia, Europe, and North America. Around half of the imports arriving on long-haul routes are transferred to other Chinese cities via a customs-supervised "truck flight" system, cutting logistics costs by 10 to 15 percent while improving delivery efficiency.

The airport has also built a nationwide multimodal logistics network with 19 major domestic airports, supporting the transport of general cargo, cross-border e-commerce shipments, and international mail.

Meanwhile, Ningbo Customs has streamlined clearance procedures through advance risk assessment and document review. Recently, a nearly 2-metric-ton shipment of imported lobsters was released just 30 minutes after landing, highlighting the airport's growing efficiency in handling time-sensitive goods.