Express delivery by sea from the mainland to Taiwan went into operation on April 29 after more than ten months of preparation, ptnet.cn reported.

A truck loaded with a container of parcels moves aboard a ship heading to Taiwan on April 29, marking the first cross-Straits express delivery by sea in Pingtan. [Photo/ptnet.cn]

As the first shipment of cargo enjoying the new service, 118 parcels from Shanghai weighing 829 kg were incased into two containers, and later shipped from Pingtan to Taipei at around 14:30.

The cargo would reach the destination in three hours, and is expected to be delivered to their respective recipients the next day, said Zhang Yongshu, an official of a logistics company in Fujian handling the delivery.

Compared with air express, sea transportation has a comparable speed and efficiency with only 60 percent of the cost. The company will make deliveries four times a week using two ferries which commute between Pingtan and Taiwan on a regular basis, he added.

Pingtan got approval from the State Council on piloting the cross-Straits express delivery by sea in June, 2014.

The customs authority in Pingtan has taken up more measures to facilitate the inspection process, allowing the first batch of cargo to clear within half an hour, according to Liu Chunsheng, deputy chief of the Pingtan Customs.