One end of the trans-China Yangtze River has signed a deal with the other, as upriver Chongqing agrees to cooperate with the down river seaport of Ningbo on strengthening cooperation by simplifying customs, Logistics Week reported.

Ningbo wants more Yangtze freight from upriver Chongqing and is offering CNY500 (US$73) for every TEU that comes its way - an offer that will stand for three years under the deal.

In addition, Ningbo will offer 24-hour customs clearance for Chongqing cargo year round. For creditable grade A Chongqing shippers, Ningbo customs will offer immediate release of cargo, allowing them to hand in retrospective cargo manifests later to provide convenience for Chongqing transshipments.

The two cities will also strengthen their coordination, study together to seek cooperation between more transportation means and give more support to the cooperation between customs brokers and freight forwarders in the two cities.