The Shanghai Municipal Government's official website released the "15th Five-Year Plan for Accelerating the Construction of Shanghai as an International Shipping Center" on July 22, 2026. The plan specifies that by 2030, Shanghai should have essentially built an international shipping center characterized by a globally leading hub and gateway capacity, high-quality and convenient modern shipping services, leadership in smart and low-carbon shipping innovation, a resilient and complete shipping governance system, and significantly enhanced global shipping resource allocation capabilities.

The document outlines the accelerated development of a world-class, collaborative, and efficient multi-airport system. This includes promoting the completion and operational launch of the fourth-phase expansion of Pudong International Airport, optimizing the runway and taxiway system at Hongqiao International Airport, advancing the opening of Pudong Airport's fifth runway, and promoting the construction of the Nantong New Airport.

It also involves completing the construction of the Shanghai East Railway Station as part of the Oriental Hub, along with simultaneous completion of the second phase of the Shanghai-Nantong Railway, Metro Line 21, the Nanhui Line of the municipal railway, the Airport Link Line (Shanghai East Railway Station to Pudong International Airport Terminals 1 & 2), as well as elevated access systems and ground roads, to develop "aviation+" multimodal transport.

The plan also aims to continuously enhance the service level of the Hongqiao Comprehensive Transportation Hub by integrating the Jiamin Line and the Demonstration Zone Line of the municipal railway, and improving the road network around airports.

Another key goal is building an Asia-Pacific cruise economy center. This involves establishing a high-level cruise operation center, fostering internationally competitive local cruise operation brands, and attracting regional headquarters of multinational cruise companies.

It also includes building an Asia-Pacific cruise tourism hub port, encouraging the development of a diverse and distinctive cruise route system, attracting port-of-call cruise ships, and promoting the high-quality development of inland river cruise tourism. Upgrading the capabilities of cruise tourism resort areas, optimizing cruise destination functions and environments, and establishing Shanghai as the premier entry point for cruise tourism in China are also part of the plan.

Understanding the International Shipping Center Goals

An interpretation of the plan was released on the same day. According to the interpretation, the goals for building the international shipping center can be understood through several key indicators.

Firstly, the status of the shipping hub will be more solid. Shanghai Port is to play a core leading role in the Yangtze River Delta port cluster, with its annual container throughput striving to exceed 58 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). Shanghai's airports are to essentially build a leading Asia-Pacific aviation hub, targeting annual passenger throughput of 150 million and annual cargo and mail throughput of approximately 4.7 million tons.

Secondly, the logistics system will be more efficient and seamless. The aim is to form a high-quality development pattern for multimodal transport featuring a more complete collection and distribution network, a rational structure of various transportation modes, high-quality and efficient full-chain logistics services, and deep integration of industrial and logistics chains. By 2030, the proportion of container water-to-water transshipment should reach 55%, and container sea-rail intermodal volume should reach around 2 million TEUs.

Thirdly, shipping service functions will be significantly enhanced. Focusing on modern shipping services such as shipping insurance and maritime arbitration, the goal is to accelerate the agglomeration of shipping service elements, comprehensively upgrade capabilities, and significantly enhance self-supply capacity. By 2030, the risk coverage amount for green ships is targeted to increase from 2.3 billion yuan to 10 billion yuan, and the annual case value for maritime arbitration should reach 3 billion yuan.

Fourthly, the pace of digital, intelligent, and low-carbon transformation will be faster. The plan calls for accelerating the construction of a cross-border, integrated digital shipping ecosystem and promoting the development of a green shipping industry cluster. Port automated operation volume is targeted at 15 million TEUs, and paperless processes for the entire airport passenger journey should be achieved. The bunkering of green marine fuels should reach scale, with bonded LNG bunkering volume reaching 1 million cubic meters.

Consolidating Position as Top Global Container Port

According to the interpretation document, Shanghai will consolidate the advantageous position of its container hub port from three main aspects.

The first is promoting the expansion and efficiency improvement of port infrastructure. This includes constructing the container terminal and supporting projects at the Xiaoyangshan North Operation Area of the Yangshan Deepwater Port Area of the Shanghai International Shipping Center, forming capacity in phases. It also involves completing the second phase of the renovation project for the container terminal at the Luojing Port Area, advancing the second-phase expansion of the Yangshan Deepwater Port Area and the optimization and adjustment of the Luojing Operation Area. Systematically planning new strategic development space for Shanghai Port to prepare deep-water shoreline resource reserves for enhancing hub port resilience is another key task.

The second is improving multimodal transport channels for the port. This entails enhancing sea-rail intermodal service levels by completing the Waigaogiao Container Railway Center Station and dedicated port area lines, accelerating the construction of the Shanghai-Zhapu-Hangzhou Railway and the Situan Hub, while strengthening the connection between rail freight services and shipping routes to expand the hinterland market for sea-rail intermodal transport.

Improving the high-grade inland waterway network is also crucial, aiming to basically complete the Daluxian East Extension, Youdungang, and Luowenhe waterway regulation projects, while promoting the capacity expansion and renovation of projects like the Sushen Outer Port Line, Hangpingshen Line, and the Dazhi River West Hub to facilitate efficient direct connections between inland waterways and the Yangshan Port Area.

Furthermore, optimizing the layout of highway freight corridors, specifically improving the road network and traffic organization around port areas, and promoting the large-scale, intensive, and digital development of road freight yards are part of the plan.

The third aspect is strengthening cross-regional operational management coordination. This involves supporting market entities in deepening cross-regional port and shipping cooperation and key node layout, optimizing the "linked unloading" model, and improving coastal feeder policies.

Promoting the quality and efficiency improvement of the Yangtze River Economic Belt multimodal transport center, and advancing the interconnection and mutual recognition of infrastructure, intermodal information, rules and standards, and management mechanisms are also key.

Deepening the integrated construction of maritime supervision and service support in the Yangtze River Delta, promoting the sharing of resources such as anchorage grounds and pilotage operation points, and deepening the integrated coordination of customs directly under the General Administration in the Yangtze River Delta to promote regional customs data exchange, policy mutual recognition, and resource sharing are further measures.

Strengthening the Air Cargo Hub

During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, Shanghai's airports will use three main levers—"strengthening the foundation," "expanding the network," and "improving quality"—to further consolidate their leading advantage as a global air logistics hub and actively promote the transformation and upgrading of airports from "logistics channels" to "supply chain hubs."

The first lever, strengthening the foundation, involves upgrading freight facilities. Shanghai's airports will simultaneously focus on "capacity expansion" and "renewal," integrating and optimizing the layout of cargo facilities at Pudong Airport, strengthening the construction of specialized facilities, and enhancing the handling capacity for goods like cross-border e-commerce and cold chain logistics.

Among these, the Pudong Airport Zhihui Port Aviation Smart Cargo Terminal aims to set a new global benchmark for intelligent cargo terminal operation with a new model featuring "full-link digitalization, high automation, and internationalized services."

The second lever, expanding the network, involves densifying the route network. This includes accelerating the expansion of the air cargo market in Belt and Road partner countries, building an efficient cargo network that radiates across the Asia-Pacific, connects smoothly with Europe and America, and links globally.

Simultaneously, increasing the deployment of dedicated freighter capacity, encouraging and supporting airlines to improve the belly hold load factor of passenger flights, and achieving complementarity, capacity sharing, and efficient connection between freighters and passenger aircraft belly holds are key strategies.

The third lever, improving quality, focuses on optimizing service supply. This entails further optimizing cargo transfer services, improving ground collection and distribution networks for goods, developing multimodal transport businesses like air-truck, air-rail, and air-sea, and expanding pre-terminal facilities.

It also includes collaborating with port inspection authorities to enhance customs clearance efficiency, deepening the construction of the "Air Transport Link" platform, improving the cross-border e-commerce service system, and launching service products for special goods like fresh produce and pharmaceuticals.

Providing a More Stable and Transparent Development Environment

Focusing on optimizing the shipping development environment, efforts will center on five key areas.

The first is enhancing port service levels. This involves benchmarking against the World Bank's Business Ready maturity assessment system, strengthening the provision of trade facilitation policies, deepening the construction of smart ports, standardizing port charges in import and export processes, and reinforcing 24/7 customs clearance guarantees at air ports.

Actively seeking pilot implementation of innovative immigration management policies in Shanghai to enhance the convenience of entry and exit for foreign nationals at cruise and air ports is also part of this effort.

The second is improving the judicial guarantee system. This includes strengthening the effective connection between international and domestic law, promoting diversified resolution of maritime and aviation disputes, and improving the case referral and mediation mechanism between judicial departments and arbitration institutions.

Leveraging the guiding role of exemplary maritime adjudication cases to serve and connect with the development of new business formats like green shipping and new cross-border logistics is another goal. Strengthening the construction of digital maritime courts to improve the convenience of maritime litigation is also planned.

The third is optimizing the talent development environment. This involves implementing the "Sea Gathering" initiative for high-end shipping talent, promoting talent attraction through projects and platforms. Advancing industry-academia-research cooperation to cultivate applied, interdisciplinary, and innovative shipping talent is key.

Building a high-level maritime talent training base and strengthening the crew team for the cruise industry are also included. Exploring the establishment of a cross-departmental mechanism to protect crew rights and interests, and improving the functions of the "one-stop" public service platform for shipping talent to provide supporting living guarantees like housing and healthcare are further measures.

The fourth is strengthening industrial policy guidance. This entails optimizing special support policies to promote the optimization of shipping collection and distribution structures, support the construction of the aviation hub, and play a supporting and guiding role in expanding shipping service functions, applying new digital, intelligent, and low-carbon technologies, and participating in international maritime rule-making.

Leveraging the guiding role of municipal special funds for strategic emerging industries and promoting high-quality industrial development to drive the integration of modern shipping services and advanced manufacturing, helping to build high-end shipping industry clusters, is also part of the plan.

The fifth is intensifying international exchange and cooperation. This involves hosting high-quality events like the North Bund International Shipping Forum and the China International Maritime Exhibition, and encouraging shipping service agglomeration zones to create distinctive shipping activity brands.

Supporting shipping industry chain enterprises in going global together to explore international markets, supporting the development of professional shipping organizations, and striving to attract international shipping organizations to set up branches in Shanghai are key actions.

Supporting shipping insurance institutions and associations in participating in International Union of Marine Insurance affairs, encouraging professional shipping institutions to participate in the formulation of international maritime technical rules and standards, promoting the functional upgrade of the Shanghai China Maritime Museum, and supporting international cooperation for shipping cultural venues are also outlined.