Shanghai promotion office for the development of international shipping center published the “Key Tasks for Shanghai International Shipping Center Development in 2014” in April 2014. As a cooperative organization, Shanghai International Shipping Institute (SISI) undertook four out of all 49 key tasks of the city.

First, it shall study policies and measures to promote international shipping, shipping agency and ship management in order to further improve the environment for the development of modern shipping service industry.

Second, it shall launch the “Shanghai international shipping center portal”, improve the functions, entries, operation and management methods of the website, secure capital for its operation and maintenance, make the operating team function solidly, and intensify content editing, operation and promotion of the website.

Third, based on the development of the pilot FTZ, SISI shall study how to implement a new round of policies to open up the shipping service sector, formulate the 2014 “negative list” for foreign investment access to the shipping industry, optimize the service for and management of shipping and related services in the FTZ, and summarize port and shipping management modes that can be replicated and promoted to other areas.

Fourth, it shall push the Ministry of Transport to issue and implement detailed rules allowing foreign investors to have majority stakes in international shipping enterprises and to set up wholly-owned international ship management enterprises. As a cooperative organization, Shanghai Maritime University also undertook two tasks, one of which is related with SISI - pushing for the “Shanghai knowledge service platform for colleges and universities”. SISI will carry out relevant tasks to serve the development of Shanghai international shipping center.