On the morning of July 16, 2010, the Second Chairman Meeting of the First Council of Shanghai International Shipping Institute (SISI) was held in Shanghai Broadway Mansion Hotel. The meeting was presided over by Huang Youfang, Vice President of Shanghai Maritime University and Deputy Director of SISI. The meeting was attended by representatives from 17 chairman units, including Deputy Director-General Zhu Jianhua of Shanghai Transport and Port Authority, Division Chief Wang Xingfang of Science and Technology Division of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, Deputy Division Chief Li Chenxi of Transport Development Division of Shanghai Urban Construction and Communications Commission, Deputy District Mayor Ying Mingyong of Shanghai Hongkou District People’s Government, Director Wang Mingzhi of Commision Office of Shanghai Combination Port, President Zhang Ye of Shanghai Shipping Exchange, Vice President Zhang Guofa of China Shipping (Group) Company, Manager Huang Jing of COSCO Strategic Planning Department, Senior Research Manager Ding Songbing of Strategic Research Department of Shanghai International Port (Goup) Co., Ltd., Assistant to General Manager Xu Suntong of Sinotrans Eastern Co., Ltd., Vice President Feng Zhimin of Ningbo University, Vice President Chen Gang of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Vice Chairman Chen Deming of Shanghai Shipowners Association, Executive Director Cao Zhongxi of China Ports & Harbours Association, Secretary-General Li Linhai of Shanghai International Freight Forwarders Association, and Deputy General Manager Lu Ronghe of Shanghai Jin Jiang Shipping Co., Ltd.

At the meeting, Secretary-General Zhen Hong, Deputy Secretary-General Li Gang, and Office Director Zhang Jieshu of SISI reported the performance in the past year and the work plan, financial status, and new council units and institutions for the second half of 2010 to all chairman units.

SISI has made great progress in the following six aspects in the past year. Firstly, SISI has won extensive trust based on its active participation. Striving to build into a think tank for governments, SISI has joined the research project of “Working mechanism for water transport economic operation and analysis” by the Ministry of Transport, assumed a number of major governmental consulting projects as well as planning and research tasks, and provided shipping policy consulting and development planning for governments at all levels. Meanwhile, SISI funded the establishment of the “Research Fund” to subsidize the research on the construction of Shanghai International Shipping Center. Secondly, SISI has uplifted its influence and position in domestic industry based on its service. SISI organized several large forums, professional seminars and training courses, and undertook consulting assignments commissioned by port and shipping enterprises, helping SISI speed up the establishment of its position in the domestic industry. Thirdly, SISI has won recognition based on extensive cooperation. Through its cooperation with Det Norske Veritas (DNV), Korea Maritime Institute (KMI), Maritime College of the State University of New York, United States Merchant Marine Academy, Hong Kong IMC Shipping Development Foundation, Belgium Antwerp/Flanders Port Training Center (APEC), and American Society of Transportation and Logistics, SISI rapidly expanded its influence in the overseas industry. Fourthly, SISI has attracted talents based on its opening mechanism. By promoting joint participation of relevant governments, enterprises, research institutions and universities, establishing the Expert Committee, and cooperating with relevant institutions to set up institutes, SISI has quickly gathered domestic and international shipping talents. Meanwhile, SISI has achieved the integration of resources by hosting the “China Ocean Shipping Intelligence Network”. Fifthly, SISI has filled the blanks in shipping elements based on the information resource. By releasing “China Shipping Prosperity Index”, Shipping Market Analysis Report, China Cruise Development Report, Shipping Review magazine, Shipping Intelligence magazine, and five information websites, SISI has provided the industry with a wide variety of unique products on information service. Sixthly, SISI has actively explored new ways to build up platforms based on the flexibility of civil organizations, such as Shipbrokers Association, and Joint Meeting of Shanghai Regional Shipping Industry Trade organizations.

After hearing the report, representatives of the chairman units made in-depth exchanges and discussions on future development of SISI and ways to promote the construction of Shanghai International Shipping Center by taking full advantage of its resources, and put forward many valuable views and suggestions. In addition to recognitions for SISI’s achievements in the past year, representatives also presented suggestions on its future development. Deputy District Mayor Ying Mingyong required SISI to clarify the operation performance of all its institutes in the future  and unite them to play a powerful role in the construction of SISI. President Yu Shicheng of Shanghai Maritime University promised continued strong supports for the development of SISI so as to build it into an advisory institution matching with Shanghai International Shipping Center. In addition, Mr. Yu said that SISI shall give full play to the functions of all chairman units and jointly make SISI a truly open platform. Other representatives also actively discussed the future development of SISI.

After exchanges and discussions, the chairman units of SISI 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.

Finally, on behalf of China Shipping (Group) Company, SISI’s chairman unit, Vice President Zhang Guofa delivered a concluding speech. He deemed highly of the achievements of SISI in the past year, and expressed sincere thanks to all chairman units for their valuable suggestions on future development of SISI. As stated by him, SISI will continue to receive strong supports from China Shipping (Group) and shall clarify its development orientation and identify target clients for the next stage, so as to set up a reasonable positioning for and achieve healthy development.

Looking into the future, SISI will further explore and improve the operation mechanism with a focus on research and consulting, uplift information services, highlight internationalization and adhere to the opening-up mode. SISI will gradually establish its authority and industrial acceptance based on a series of in-depth work.