Regulatory Mutual Recognition, Model Innovation, and Policy Support — Wenaili Observes the Efficiency Revolution in Logistics at the Start of 2026

A new year brings new developments. In the first working week of 2026, China's logistics industry has not slowed down. Instead, through a series of solid initiatives, it is accelerating on the track of improving efficiency, reducing costs, and innovating models. These seemingly independent news events collectively outline a clear path for the industry's development to a higher level: an "efficiency revolution" centered on technological empowerment, rule coordination, and model integration is deepening.

I. Breaking Regulatory Barriers: "Mutual Recognition" Opens a New Paradigm for Cross-Regional Collaboration

On January 7th, a sea-rail intermodal train carrying 108 "Made in Chongqing" new energy vehicles departed for Guangzhou's Nansha Port, marking a new channel for "Chongqing Vehicles Going Global." The core breakthrough lies in the pilot for mutual recognition of maritime supervisionlaunched between Chongqing and Guangzhou. Under the traditional model, goods required inspection at both the loading location and the export port. The new rules achieve "one inspection, mutual recognition in both places," allowing goods to be directly loaded onto ships upon arrival at Nansha Port. Estimates suggest this model can save approximately 3 days, improve overall logistics efficiency by 20%, and reduce costs by 25% for vehicle exports. This is not just a new route but a model of breaking administrative barriers and achieving regional regulatory synergy, providing a replicable sample for the nationwide "Single System" reform in multimodal transport.

Almost simultaneously, good news came from Qingdao. The "Single System Pilot Project for Road-Rail-Sea Multimodal Transport of the 'New Three' Categories via China-Europe Railway Express in the SCO Demonstration Zone" was successfully selected as a provincial-level pilot. The "Single System" aims to use one legally effective combined transport document throughout multiple modes like road, rail, and sea, addressing the pain points of complex documentation and unclear responsibilities in traditional models. From "regulatory mutual recognition" to the "Single System," the industry is moving from physical connectivity towards deeper unification of rules and standards, which will be the most potential direction for future logistics cost reduction and efficiency improvement.

II. Equipment and Model Innovation: "One-Container-Through" Reshapes Operational Processes

In terms of hardware and model integration innovation, Shenzhen provided a new answer. On January 7th, the first batch of commercial vehicles in China using 50-foot double-stacking dedicated containers arrived at the Shenzhen Yantian Comprehensive Bonded Zone by rail, marking the official launch of the new "Stack-Through" sea-rail bonded intermodal model.

The advancement of this model lies in "one-container-through" and "space reuse." The dedicated container acts as a "mobile warehouse" for the goods from the factory, entering the bonded zone directly by rail without needing mid-way unpacking or reloading, minimizing cargo damage and handling time. Simultaneously, the double-stacking design significantly improves container space utilization. Integrating railway stability, the flexibility of bonded policies, and the port's dense route network, this model is preliminarily estimated to reduce comprehensive logistics costs by about 15%. It vividly demonstrates that designing dedicated equipment and integrated processes for specific cargo types (like commercial vehicles) can unleash tremendous efficiency dividends.

III. Policy Foresight: Technology Drives the Industry Towards Intelligence and Green Development

The industry's evolution cannot proceed without forward-looking policy guidance. On January 7th, Zhao Chongjiu, Director of the State Post Bureau, clearly stated that in 2026, the postal industry will introduce specific policies to accelerate the application of unmanned delivery technologies, deepening the piloting and implementation of technologies like unmanned vehicles, drones, intelligent sorting, and circular packaging.

This policy signal carries significant weight. It marks the eve of unmanned delivery scaling up from localized pilots to widespread promotion. Its importance goes far beyond the "last mile" delivery change. At a deeper level, it represents the beginning of systematically optimizing network planning, carrier utilization, and labor cost structures through technological means. For logistics enterprises, this is both a technological trend they must embrace in the future and a strategic issue to consider today—how to integrate "intelligence" and "green development" into their own service offerings to enhance brand value and customer appeal.

Wenaili Perspective: Reshaping Customer Value Behind the Efficiency Revolution

Looking at these developments, the competitive dimensions of the logistics industry in 2026 have already been elevated. Simply stating "we have space" or "we have competitive rates" is far from sufficient. True competitiveness stems from the ability to integrate clients into these latest efficiency networks, and the capability to translate the certainty of "regulatory mutual recognition," the convenience of "one-container-through," and the foresight of "unmanned delivery" into tangible cost reduction, speed improvement, and reliability within the client's supply chain.

For freight forwarding and logistics enterprises, this requires a transformation from being passive transportation service providers to proactive designers of supply chain efficiency solutions. Our marketing communication should also shift from showcasing capacity to conveying this capability and insight for "efficiency integration." Those who can first understand and help clients realize the dividends of this efficiency revolution will occupy a position of core value in the future market.