The city of Shanghai's Pudong New District's shipping service office has reached a deal on training international shipping professionals with China's Transport Ministry's Professional Qualifications Authority and the UK's Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS).

The agreement calls for the parties to start a dual shipping accreditation program in Pudong's China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone, to develop more talented shipping personnel and better courses, and to work out a professional rating system suitable to China's conditions.

ICS is a learned society for members of the commercial shipping industry worldwide that provides professionals for the shipping industry and is the only internationally recognized professional body in the commercial maritime sector.

Julie Lithgow, the chairman of ICS, said that the program is a response to the increasing needs of top, experienced shipping professionals resulting from a boom in the shipping business and ship brokerages, while Jian danian, deputy head of Pudong, said he considers the program a good result of Sino-UK exchanges and a symbol of how the district has sought cooperation with leading shipping centers and that this will contribute to Shanghai's goal of becoming an international shipping center.

Jian went on to say that local government will give plenty of support for the program and promote exchanges among global shipping professionals and create an international service environment for talented people.