Couriers preparing battle plan for Nov 11

EMS, the express delivery unit of the State Post Bureau, is leasing 26 freighters under deals with Air China Cargo Co Ltd and PEMCO International, the company said.

Couriers are also banking on high-speed trains to handle the expected onslaught of shipping. Two foreign companies - FedEx Corp and United Parcel Service of America Inc - have signed agreements with the railway authorities to use trains for deliveries.

Logistics companies are also forming partnerships with e-commerce platforms by using "big data" analysis to streamline operations and resources.

The drive for a data-driven logistics system is crucial this year, as the number of Tmall brands joining the event has doubled compared with last year, said Tan Biao, director of Alibaba Group's logistics business unit.

Tmall has pledged to share data with its logistics partners through an online "dashboard", which identifies potential problems in the supply chain and allows companies to adjust their operations accordingly.

The company is also working with the China Meteorological Administration to provide up-to-date weather information to shippers.

"Just increasing the delivery speed by a few hours, and we are not even talking about half a day, will have a big impact on the logistics flow," Tan told a news conference on Oct 15.