The comprehensive pilot zone for international shipping development is of great significance for speeding up the construction of the Shanghai international shipping center and pushing Shanghai’s transformation into an international transshipment port. Instructed by Shanghai Municipal Development and Reform Commission, this research group conducts a special study of the “comprehensive pilot zone for international shipping development”. It introduces the background and significance of this concept, compares the policies and environment faced by Shanghai and international shipping centers overseas, examines the connotations and contents of the comprehensive pilot zone, and proposes the spatial layout, auxiliary policies and measures for its development.