More innovative shipping policies will emerge in the future

China has already reached the stage of reform in the construction of an international shipping center.

Recalling the development history of China's shipping industry, it has gradually achieved a greater degree of liberalization in accordance with international practice and other requirements. As early as in 1988, the reservation of cargo was cancelled, and the port had already allowed foreign-funded holding. The international shipping business from China was also allowed to operate in foreign shipping companies.

It can be said that China's shipping industry is the first to participate in international competition and the introduction of foreign investment. This time, the Shanghai Free Trade Pilot Zone has implemented three open policies in the shipping sector, such as the control of foreign capital for international shipping, wholly foreign-owned investment of the ship management company, and the possibility of carrying out the Chinese-funded flag to carry out coastal belts.

From the point of view of the shipping industry as a national strategic and basic industry, it has a very important role in the development of the national economy and national security. To implement further reform and opening up policies, we must also consider some problems that may arise.

In the future, with the continuous development of the shipping industry, new situations and new issues will continue to emerge. At the same time, the major issues before are also malleable.

For example, in the open issue of the coastal transportation market, the current coastal piggyback pilot policy allows Chinese-funded non-Five-star ships to carry out import and export container staking operations between domestic ports and Shanghai Port, further liberalizing the Chinese coastal transportation market.

From a technical point of view, the trunk line connection and the formation of a dry support network are the objective requirements for container transport. The coastal piggyback policy satisfies this requirement.

However, from a policy point of view, the coastal bandits policy has opened the floodgates for China's coastal transportation market. Will it continue to expand in the future? Will the deep integration of the domestic and international market for container liner shipping be a focus of this multi-party game? This will lead to further innovation in China's shipping policy.

The promulgation and implementation of the shipping policy of the International Shipping Comprehensive Pilot Zone and Shanghai Free Trade Zone will provide a good reference for China's shipping policy innovation mechanism and valuable experience. Under the demonstration of the comprehensive pilot zone and Shanghai Free Trade Zone shipping policy, China will have more innovations in shipping policies in the future.

Another major trend of the future shipping policy is manifested in the expansion of reform and opening up and the strengthening of China's shipping "soft power" construction.

At present, China’s shipping hard power, such as China’s port infrastructure, throughput, and fleet size, ranks among the top in the world, but it still has a gap with the international advanced level in terms of shipping services, information, R&D, education, and shipping “soft power”. .

The series of support policies currently being tried include support for the formulation and publication of the freight index, the establishment of a ship trading information platform, the development of a shipping development fund, and the establishment of a higher shipping academy, all of which embody the importance attached to shipping "soft power."

In the future, with the economic restructuring of the country, the growth of port throughput will slow down, and the increase in shipping “soft power” will gradually become the focus of China’s future shipping policy reform and opening up.