SF Express deploys unmanned delivery vehicles in Zichuan district, Zibo, to handle the surge in package deliveries during the "Double 11" shopping festival. [Photo/Dazhong News]

Shandong province experienced a remarkable surge in express delivery volume during the "Double 11" online shopping event from Oct 21 to Nov 12. The province saw a total of 698 million parcels shipped, representing a year-on-year increase of 22.62 percent.

To meet the surging demand during the peak season, Shandong proactively leveraged its express delivery warehousing and distribution resources. The province accelerated the application of new models such as intelligent sorting, warehouse-to-door delivery, and unmanned delivery, while also deepening cooperation with e-commerce platforms. These efforts greatly helped to boost online consumption across the province.

On Nov 11, at an express delivery distribution center in Guangrao county, Dongying, Shandong, couriers were busy loading parcels into unmanned delivery vehicles. Despite the rainy and foggy weather, the unmanned vehicles operated smoothly and delivered the parcels on time.

This year, Shandong has stepped up its support for the application of new technologies. Cities like Qingdao and Jining have opened up 121 roads and issued over 600 licenses for unmanned delivery vehicles.

Additionally, SF Express in Jining has piloted the first low-altitude parcel delivery route, connecting directly to Zhengzhou, Henan, and increasing both efficiency and quality.

Furthermore, localities across the province have accelerated efforts to connect rural areas to the express delivery network. During the "Double 11" online shopping event, express delivery services for agricultural products in Shandong exceeded 5 billion yuan ($690 million).

As of Nov 14, the total express delivery volume in Shandong this year has reached 7.81 billion parcels.