Newly launched international transshipment hub sorting services at Shanghai Pudong International Airport will effectively improve the efficiency of international cargo transshipment, and are expected to facilitate the city’s goal of being an international shipping center by 2020.

The first batch of air express international transshipment hub sorting services was launched on Thursday at the airport by DHL’s North Asia hub, which was approved by the General Administration of Customs to be the first service provider across the nation, said Dong Shuhua, deputy head of Shanghai Pudong International Airport Customs.

Air express international transshipment hub sorting services are airport logistics services for overseas cargo that arrives at the airport via international flights.

The cargo is unpacked and sorted at special supervised areas under the Shanghai Customs and Quarantine Bureau, and repackaged according to its final destinations.

Li Derun, president of Shanghai Airport Authority said the new service is a breakthrough in building Shanghai into an international shipping hub by 2020.

Li also said construction of a satellite terminal will start next year and is expected to be finished by 2018. The new terminal, which will link with the existing Terminals 1 and 2, will add about 100 more aircraft stands to Pudong International Airport’s current 70 stands.