On the afternoon of July 16, 2010, Shanghai International Shipping Institute (SISI) successfully held the second meeting of the first council. Yu Shicheng, President of Shanghai Maritime University and Director of SISI presided over the meeting.

At the meeting, Director Wang Mingzhi of the Commission Office of Shanghai Combination Port and Director Gu Xingquan of the Development Research Center of Shanghai Municipal People’s Government unveiled SISI Shipping Information Technology Institute. Vice President Feng Zhimin of Ningbo University and Vice President Xin Mingbao of China Construction Bank Shanghai Branch unveiled SISI Shipping Finance Institute. Then, Division Chief Wujun of the Coordination Division of Shanghai Finance Office, Mr. Xi Mingbao, and Director Shen Kangchen of SISI Shipping Information Technology Institute delivered speeches.

SISI Shipping Finance Institute aims to provide consulting services for governmental departments at all levels to develop the local shipping finance industry, and release related professional reports on shipping finance on a regular or irregular basis. The Institute conducts research on forward-looking issues of shipping finance, and studies closely the new progress, trend and system in the development of global shipping finance. The Institute also studies shipping finance development planning as well as financial products, service innovation, and risk monitoring and management, etc. The Institute not only serves the establishment of theoretical shipping finance system with Chinese characteristics but also builds a high-end platform for international shipping finance communication. The Institute also provides regular shipping finance training for either high-end talents or professional personnel from governmental departments, shipping enterprises, financial institutions and insurance companies, so as to cultivate senior talents for shipping finance research or practice.

Director Shen Kangchen of SISI Shipping Information Institute said that the Institute focuses on the research and development of shipping information and techonology, the integration of shipping data resources, the consulting services of shipping IT, and the training of talents in shipping information and technology. He sincerely invited the council members to jointly involve in the work of SISI, discuss the ways and modes for the development of China’s shipping information and technology, exchange experience and technology and solve the difficulties of shipping information and technology, and develop new technologies with gathered strength.

At the meeting, Secretary-General Zhen Hong reported the performance over the past year and the work plan for the second half of this year. After hearing and approving SISI’s work report and other related documents, the council members voted through the work plan for the second half of 2010, confirmed the newly added council members, executive council members, deputy secretaries-general and the Expert Committee members, and agreed on the establishment of SISI’s new institutions.

Director Wang Mingzhi of the Commission Office of Shanghai Combination Port, Deputy Director Wang Qi of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission and Vice President Feng Zhimin respectively delivered their speeches and gave recognition to SISI’s achievements in the past year. Mr. Wang Mingzhi stated that the development of the shipping industry is getting better and better, featuring greater growth and good momentum in shipping volume, cargo throughput and container throughput. In addition, the construction of Shanghai International Shipping Center is under vigorous promotion. Based on the existing achievements, Shanghai International Shipping Center shall continue to make efforts in the future and become a truly national think tank to provide supports for decision-making at national level, for the Yangtze River Delta Region, and by Shanghai municipal government. The council members shall be fully mobilized for the development of SISI.

All council members actively presented ideas and suggestions on the development of SISI. Chief Librarian Chen Weijiong of Shanghai Maritime University stressed the importance of shipping information. CEO John Tang of China Logistics Manager Club believed that SISI shall strengthen its research on customer demands, so as to provide customers with needed services and enhance the soft power of Shanghai International Shipping Center. According to General Manager Jin Zuguang of Singapore Reinsurance Chinese Office, though heading at a fast speed, Chinese private shipping companies are unavoidably facing problems in the process of development. He expected private enterprises to be taken as part of future research and suggested SISI to fully engage relevant experts in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore into large-scale research activities to draw on the advanced experience in the development of shipping finance.

After the exchange and discussion among participants, SISI’s council members voted through the work plan for the second half of 2010, confirmed new member units, executive member units, deputy secretaries-general and the list of Expert Committee members, and agreed on the establishment of SISI’s new institutions.
The meeting was successfully concluded by Vice President Zhang Guofa of China Shipping (Group) Company with a concluding speech on behalf of SISI’s chairman units.

The success convening of the second meeting of the first council marked an important progress of SISI. In the future, SISI will adhere to the development model of internationalization and opening-up, pay close attention to the industry needs, continuously improve its capacity to serve the council units and the shipping industry, and build itself into a well-known shipping information and advisory institution with international influence, thus making new contributions to the development of China’s shipping industry and the construction of Shanghai International Shipping Center.