July 11, 2020 marked the 16th China Maritime Day. On the same day, the China Maritime Day Forum 2020 was held in Shanghai with the theme of "Working together to ensure smooth international logistics" Liu Xiaoming, Vice Minister of Transport, attended the forum and delivered a keynote speech. Tang Zhiping, Vice Mayor of Shanghai, delivered a speech, and Kitack Lim, IMO Secretary-General, delivered a video speech. Xu Lirong, chairman of China COSCO Limited, delivered a keynote speech. The forum released the 2020 Xinhua-Baltic International Shipping Center Development Index.
Liu Xiaoming extended festive greetings to the nation's maritime workers and soldiers and officers across the country. He pointed out that the important instructions made by CPC General Secretary Xi Jinping on shipping development have provided a fundamental guidance for the development of shipping industry. We should uphold an open and cooperative attitude, accelerate the construction of a safe, convenient, efficient, green, and economical modern shipping service system, maintain the stability of the international logistics supply chains, and write a new chapter in the development of maritime transport as a transport power.
Liu Xiaoming pointed out that the international supply chains have been experiencing severe challenges since the outbreak of the COVID-19. The Ministry of Transport has made hard-won achievements in conscientiously implementing the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, making overall plans for epidemic prevention and control and economic and social development of transport, adhering to the principle of (One block and three maintains), which refers to block the transmission channels of the virus, but to maintain traffic network, maintain green channels for emergency transportation, and maintain transportation channels for necessary mass production and living materials. Further progress is also made in establishing a mechanism to maintain the smooth and stable international logistics supply chains, vigorously enhancing international freight capacity, actively helping enterprises to solve difficulties, and strengthening international exchanges and cooperation.
Liu Xiaoming stressed that we should strengthen our confidence, work hand in hand, focus on shipping, and maintain the stability of the international logistics supply chain. First, we should establish a system to improve the overall efficiency of the international logistics supply chain system. We should accelerate the construction of a high-quality comprehensive transportation system and give full play to the advantages of various modes of transport. Second, we should improve the quality of shipping services. We should speed up the construction of modern shipping fleet, improve the global shipping service network and promote the transformation and upgrading of the traditional shipping service industry to develop the modern shipping service industry. Third, we should improve the environment and promote shipping logistics facilitation. We should promote the “single window” function to cover the entire shipping and trade chains, and improve maritime supervision, piloting services and customs clearance procedures. We should consolidate and improve the application of digital shipping and paperless shipping, and promote the application of 5G and other technologies. Fourth, we should cultivate high-quality talents and consolidate human support for the development of shipping. We should speed up the construction of world-class maritime universities, ship inspection institutions, scientific research institutions and new-type think tanks. It is necessary to cultivate shipping professional technical and management personnel with international level, and to build a team of high-quality crews. The work mechanism to ensure crew shifts during the epidemic should be established and improved. Fifth, we should focus on innovation and continue to promote the safe and green development of shipping transport. We should accelerate the establishment of a dual prevention mechanism for the hierarchical prevention and control of security risks and the investigation and management of hidden dangers, and solidly promote the modernization of the shipping safety production governance system and governance capabilities. We should also speed up the adjustment of transportation structure and strengthen the prevention and control of pollution from ships and ports. Sixth, we should promote cooperation to form synergy in international maritime epidemic prevention and control. We should promote the standardization of epidemic prevention and control in international shipping transport, and establish management mechanisms for ships entering and leaving ports normally, and the shift of crew members.
During his stay in Shanghai, Liu Xiaoming conducted research and attended a symposium on the water transport industry's response to the impact of COVID-19 epidemic, the stable and healthy development of the shipping industry from crisis to opportunity, and the application of shipping block chain.
Li Tianbi, Security Supervisor General of Ministry of Transport and Director of the Water Transport Bureau, relevant departments and bureaus of the Ministry, as well as responsible comrades of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Transportation, Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration and some enterprises, participated in the relevant investigations and symposiums.