A man holds two king crabs in his hands on a vessel. [Photo/Tide News]

The deep-sea fishing vessel GAMOV docked at the terminal of Zhoushan Putuo Taimao Logistics Center in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province, on June 17, unloading 51.2 metric tons of live blue king crabs.

This marked the terminal's 26th king crab shipment this year, with total imports reaching 1,391 tons — already surpassing last year's full-year volume.

The crabs, sourced from the Kamchatka Strait in Russia's Far East, are known for their quality. After weighing, sorting, and loading, the crabs were quickly dispatched to major cities including Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou, with some expected to arrive the same day.

Officials from the entry-exit border inspection station of Zhoushan boarded the vessel upon arrival for verification procedures. Thanks to an efficient clearance system for premium aquatic imports, the ship had pre-arranged its entry and exit documents through the international trade platform, allowing customs clearance to be completed within 24 hours.

Zhoushan's position as a key entry port for live edible aquatic animals has strengthened in recent years. Since first importing king crabs in July 2022, the port has become a preferred gateway for buyers.

"Shipping by land from Hunchun to Shanghai takes four days. But docking directly at Zhoushan means we unload and deliver to Shanghai the same day," said Wang Zhengjie, a buyer of the blue king crabs. He noted that Zhoushan not only cuts delivery time but also offers greater cost efficiency.