July 11 this year marks the 17th Maritime Day of China, with the theme of “Starting a New Voyage, Creating a New Future”. On this day, the Organizing Committee of the Maritime Day of China Celebrations released the “Proclamation of the Maritime Day of China 2021”. Chairman of COSCO SHIPPING Capt. Xu Lirong attended the China Maritime Forum 2021 online and delivered a keynote speech. Director of the Board and President of COSCO SHIPPING Mr. Fu Gangfeng was present at the launching ceremony of the Maritime Day celebrations in Shanghai and the Shanghai Sub-forum of the China Maritime Forum 2021.

China Maritime Forum 2021

Affected by the pandemic, the China Maritime Forum 2021 was held online. Vice Minister of Transport and Director of China SAR Mr. Zhao Chongjiu, Vice Governor of Yunnan Province Mr. Qiu Jiang, Chairman of COSCO SHIPPING Capt. Xu Lirong and guests from China Institute of Navigation, All-China Federation of Trade Unions for the Seafarers, and other relevant companies delivered messages and speeches virtually. Secretary-General of International Maritime Organization (IMO) Mr. Kitack Lim and President of International Association of Institutes of Navigation (IAIN) Mr. John Pottle also sent their congratulatory messages via video.

Capt. Xu Lirong was invited to deliver a keynote speech in video format. He said that in the post-pandemic era, there could be three major variables driving the development and evolution of the international shipping industry. Variable one, “the reshaping of economic and trade patterns” will play a leading role; variable two, “accelerated technological integration” will transform the shipping industry; and variable three, “the tightening of environmental protection regulations” will compel the industry to change. Xu indicated that only by deeply understanding these variables and taking actions to respond to the changes can we promote the healthy development of the shipping business and maintain the sound operation of the global industry chain and supply chain.

At 9:00 a.m. on July 11, the Shanghai theme event for the Maritime Day of China 2021 was launched at the International Passenger Terminal of Shanghai Port. In the presence of Vice Mayor of Shanghai Mr. Zhang Wei, Deputy Secretary-General of Shanghai Municipal Government Mr. Wang Weiren, and Director of the Board and President of COSCO SHIPPING Mr. Fu Gangfeng, relevant leaders of Shanghai Hongkou District, Shanghai Municipal Transportation Commission, Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration, Shanghai International Port Group, China Classification Society Shanghai Branch, and Eastern Navigation Service Center awarded honorary certificates to the groups and individuals for their outstanding performance in the shift work during the COVID-19 pandemic. COSCO SHIPPING Lines Shanghai and COSCO SHIPPING Seafarer Management Shanghai won the group award, and Mr. Yang Hua from COSCO SHIPPING Logistics Shanghai won the individual award.

Before the launching ceremony, the leaders boarded the passenger ship M.V. SHEN CHENG ZHI GUANG at the dock and visited the “Red Memory—Blue Navigation” exhibition. COSCO SHIPPING has long been an important force in building China into a shipping power, and remarkable images of the corporation at several historical junctions in the company’s reform and development process also appeared as part of this exhibition.

Twenty seafarer representatives from COSCO SHIPPING Seafarer Management Shanghai formed a square team at the launching ceremony, and fifteen other young people from the organization provided volunteer services for the event.

At the Shanghai Sub-forum of the China Maritime Forum 2021, Mr. Fu Gangfeng was invited to witness, together with Vice Mayor Zhang Wei and Deputy Secretary-General Mr. Wang Weiren, the release of the 2021 Xinhua-Baltic International Shipping Center Development Index.

July 11 this year marks the 17th Maritime Day of China. As the implementation day of “World Maritime Day” in China, the Maritime Day of China is the only maritime festival approved by the State Council, and also the most comprehensive and most widely recognized maritime festival at the highest level in China.

At 9:00 am on July 11, vessels under COSCO SHIPPING were fully dressed with bunting, with their horns hooting for one minute to celebrate this shared festival of seafarers.