The Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration has released an implementation guideline to support the high-level opening-up of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone and promote the high-quality development of shipping-related industries.

The guideline comprises 16 specific measures across four core tasks.

I. Strengthening shipping service capabilities

1. Attracting shipping resources: Enhancing services for enterprises, exploring new scenarios for maritime credit applications, and supporting the free trade zone in building an international ship trading service platform.

2. Reinforcing maritime traffic safety: Accelerating the construction of the Pudong New Area branch of the Shanghai Maritime Search and Rescue Center and upgrading AI-based risk control capabilities for dangerous goods in foreign trade containers carried by ships at Shanghai ports.

3. Exploring the creation of a "maritime plus finance plus insurance" safety service chain: Jointly promoting pilot projects for applying maritime data in shipping finance and insurance.

4. Enhancing international cooperation: Strengthening multilateral and bilateral international cooperation and exchanges, building cooperation platforms for government, industry, academia, research institutions, and application entities, and supporting enterprises and institutions in the free trade zone to participate in international maritime governance.

II. Reducing costs, improving quality, and raising efficiency in waterborne logistics

5. Promoting multimodal transport: Expanding the coverage of the one-container transport model for dangerous goods, promoting the construction of the Dazhi River River-Sea Transfer Base, and facilitating efficient sea-rail intermodal transport.

6. Supporting key waterway development: Advancing the integrated construction of waterways across the Yangtze River Delta and strengthening the capabilities of its world-class port cluster to support nationwide development and compete globally.

7. Promoting trade innovation: Supporting the construction of the core functional area of the "Silk Road E-Commerce" cooperation pioneer zone, and deepening the application of AI and blockchain technology to enhance the safety of maritime transport for dangerous goods.

8. Improving throughput continuity and efficiency: Ensuring efficient and smooth transport of key materials, supporting enterprises in creating premium express shipping routes, and promoting the expansion of continuous berthing operations in the Waigaoqiao Port area.

III. Cultivating new quality productive forces in shipping

9. Increasing support for intelligent shipping: Taking the lead in carrying out key tasks of the Intelligent Shipping 2030 Action Plan and strengthening cooperation with intelligent shipping research and operation entities within the free trade zone.

10. Expanding application scenarios for intelligent equipment: Encouraging scenario-based applications of new business forms and models in the low-altitude economy, constructing an "AI plus" maritime supervision model, and expanding "AI plus" maritime service scenarios.

11. Serving green and low-carbon transition: Supporting the large-scale operation of zero-carbon pure electric container ships on direct river-sea routes, supporting the development of Shanghai as a green fuel bunkering center, and conducting research on the current status and development trends of safe transport for new-type energy storage equipment.

12. Conducting forward-looking research: Providing professional and decision-making support for the promotion and application of new maritime technologies, and supporting enterprises and institutions in the zone to participate in the research and formulation of domestic and international standards and proposals for intelligent shipping.

IV. Strengthening maritime policy support

13. Creating high-quality government services: Expanding maritime service functions under the single-window model, creating one-stop government service scenarios, launching one-on-one application guidance, and strengthening service facilities such as seafarers' stations.

14. Improving diversified dispute resolution mechanisms: Implementing the "maritime mediation plus maritime arbitration" model, strengthening mechanisms to resolve disputes early and locally, and establishing a free trade zone workstation for the one-stop dispute resolution center.

15. Supporting local legislation: Promoting the issuance of the municipal government regulation on the safety management of electric vessels in Shanghai and leveraging the legislative authority of Pudong New Area to drive breakthroughs in the supervision of emerging business models and maritime system innovation.

16. Deepening replication and promotion: Supporting the free trade zone in implementing pioneering institutional innovation and strengthening the promotion of institutional innovation achievements.

Together with the previously issued Implementation Guideline of the Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration on Supporting the High-level Opening-up of the Lin-gang Special Area of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone to Promote the High-quality Development of the Shipping Service Industry, this guideline will help establish a maritime service policy framework for the free trade zone featuring coordinated development and comprehensive coverage.

Source: Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration