Tourists go through clearance checks. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

A new intelligent passenger clearance system for the Xiamen-Kinmen "Mini Three Links" passed inspection and was put into operation on March 16. 

As China's first interactive AI-powered system at a seaport, it allows for real-time biometric verification and automatic flight information entry across check-in, ticketing, inspection, and boarding procedures, creating a new model for smart declaration, intelligent checks, and information sharing.

The system automates data sharing between immigration, terminal, and ferry operators, while seamlessly connecting and verifying passenger information for ticketing, clearance, and boarding, removing the need for manual checks.

This smart clearance model offers a seamless experience in which travelers no longer need to repeatedly show documents or tickets.

Since its trial run in November 2025, the system has been used on over 2,600 ferry trips and 600,000 passenger crossings on the Xiamen-Kinmen route. Clearance efficiency per vessel is up by more than 40 percent, allowing multiple ferries to be processed simultaneously with "arrive-and-go" services, even during peak hours.

A growing consensus among Xiamen-Kinmen travelers is that ports are getting smarter and customs smoother. Since its 2001 launch, the "Mini Three Links" ferry route — the largest cross-Strait passenger seaway — has handled nearly 24 million trips. 

In 2025 alone, Taiwan compatriot crossings hit 1.3 million, topping all Chinese mainland seaports and solidifying its role as a "golden gateway" for family visits and business ties.