Shanghai's port has consolidated its position as an international shipping hub, with the most container routes, destinations and daily vessel frequency among mainland cities. [Photo/CFP]

Shanghai has pursued its vision of becoming an international air and shipping hub since the 1990s, when it first proposed the development plan "Toward the 21st Century". The State Council endorsed the strategy of building Shanghai into a global shipping centre in 1996, with the city's deep-water port as the core and the ports in Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces as support. The goal was further clarified by the State Council in May 2001 and April 2009. In July 2021, Shanghai unveiled its 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) for the construction of an international shipping centre, aiming to establish a new development pattern with enhanced services, influence, innovation, and competitiveness by 2025. The city strives to become a world-class international shipping centre that is convenient, efficient, functional, open, green and smart.

Shanghai's port has consolidated its position as an international shipping hub, with the most container routes, destinations and daily vessel frequency among mainland cities. Shanghai has also grown into an air transport hub in the Asia-Pacific region, with two airports in operation. A large number of international and domestic shipping enterprises are based in Shanghai. The Shanghai Shipping Exchange, where freight rates and ship trading information are filed and exchanged, has become the centre of global shipping and indices. The freight indices tracked by the exchange are the major indicators of the global shipping market. Shanghai ranked third in the 2023 Xinhua-Baltic International Shipping Centre Development (ISCD) Index, closing the gap with Singapore and London.

 

Sources: Information Office of Shanghai Municipality, Shanghai Municipal Statistics Bureau