Meeting time: 16:00, July 10, 2022
Venue: Bangchui Island hall, 2nd floor, building 9, Bangchui Island Hotel, Dalian
Zhang Baochen, executive vice president of China Institute of Navigation
Zhang Baochen: Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the media:
Good afternoon! I am Zhang Baochen, vice chairman of the Organizing Committee of China Maritime Week 2022 and executive vice president of CIN. Welcome all of you to the press conference of China Maritime Week 2022. The theme of this year is "Leading the New Trend of Green, Low-carbon and Intelligent Navigation". We will organize and carry out multiple activities in Dalian, the host city, and all over the country. At today's press conference, I will introduce the specific activity arrangements and contents and answer the questions you are interested in.
Today, we are very pleased to invite Mr. Yi Jiyong, deputy director of the Water Transport Bureau of the Ministry of Transport to attend the event, as well as representatives of the four organizers of this year's China Maritime Week, namely, Mr. Liu Dongli, vice mayor of Dalian, Mr. Wang Hong, director and Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of China Merchants Group, and Mr. Zhu Jianhua, vice president of the China Waterborne Transport Research Institute.
Next, I would like to give you a brief overview of the 2022 China Maritime Week.
Maritime Day of China is a common holiday led by the Government for the people and concerns all relevant industries such as navigation, ocean, fishery, shipbuilding industry, navigation scientific research and education, and their practitioners and uniformed officials. This is the first time we have organized a series of activities of China Maritime Week, and it mainly includes four parts:
The first is about the forum of Maritime Day of China. This is the most important main event of our country on Maritime Day. The launching ceremony of the main forum of China Maritime Week will be held here at 9:00 tomorrow morning. This year the Maritime Day forum has set up nine special forums, with Dalian Northeast Asia international shipping center high quality development forum, China marine ecological green development forum, China Ship and marine equipment technology forum and dredging forum being added, in addition to the original international ship technology and safety forum, China international seafarers forum, port and shipping enterprise development forum and navigation culture forum. In order to positively respond to the first "International Maritime Women's Day" established by the National Maritime Organization, the "International Maritime Women's Education and Development High-End Forum" will be added this year to discuss the difficulties and challenges faced by women in the maritime field and to raise the attention to women in the maritime field. According to the requirements of the epidemic prevention and control, the special forum will not be arranged together, and will be held at a different time and place. During the week, the Green Development Forum of China Marine Ecology will be held online on July 13, Dalian High Quality Development Forum of Northeast Asia International Shipping Center and Navigation Culture Forum will be held on July 15 both online and offline, International Maritime High-level Forum for Women's Education and Development Forum will be held online on June 8. For details, please visit the website of CIN.
The second is about the Academic Annual Conference of CIN 2022. Focusing on the theme of "High-level Self-reliance and Self-improvement in Maritime Science and Technology", we will invite well-known experts in the industry to give academic reports, and organized the review of excellent maritime papers and 8 special academic exchange seminars. The opening ceremony will be held here tomorrow afternoon, during which the science and technology award of the CIN will be awarded and the grading evaluation results of high-quality scientific and technological journals in the field of navigation will be released. The academic seminar and paper review will be held online from July 12 to 13. In order to encourage the active contribution and academic exchanges, we also set up a wall newspaper display to release the shortlisted papers through online cloud exhibition.
The third is about the Maritime Science Week. In order to further popularize scientific knowledge, inspire the navigation dreams, promote the overall improvement of the quality of all people, and create a good atmosphere of knowing and loving navigation in the whole society, the CIN, in conjunction with relevant national societies, associations and institutions, organized the " Maritime Science Week 2022" for the first time, with the theme "Achieving the Navigation Dream Together ". From July 10 to 16, we will mainly carry out a series of science popularization activities including the national knowledge competition of navigation, the "Craftsman in Navigation" series lectures, the opening day of national navigation education base and the maritime calligraphy and painting competition of "Achieving the Navigation Dream with Children " for primary and secondary school students. At present, there are 44 nautical science education bases in China, and each base will determine the opening day to the public according to the local actual situation.
The fourth one is about the Navigation Science and Technology Expo. In order to provide services for a country with strong transportation network, ocean and shipping, and promote the sustainable development of navigation science and technology, a navigation science and technology expo with the theme of "innovation driven, science supported" will be held during the Maritime Science Week to display the achievements of innovation and development in navigation science and technology. The Expo will be held in the form of cloud exhibition online. Because of the epidemic prevention and control, all these activities have to be carried out both online and offline, which generates a certain impact on the arrangement, but these activities will definitely be held as scheduled.
To facilitate the public to understand and participate in the activities, our conference today, as well as the main forum and the launching ceremony of the National Sailing Day Week to be held tomorrow, and the opening ceremony of the 2022 Annual Academic Conference CIN 2022 are arranged for live online video streaming, which can be viewed on the official website of the CIN, the Tiktok and Snack Video account, the microblog of the Ministry of Transport and the microblog of China Water Transport. Other online activities will also be open to the public, and can be viewed on the website of the CIN.
That's all what I want to introduce. Thank you!
Dalian is the home city of the Maritime Day of China for this year, so now, let's welcome Mr. Liu Dongli, vice mayor of Dalian, to introduce the prime and feature activities of Dalian.
Liu Dongli, vice mayor of Dalian
Liu Dongli: Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the press and media, welcome! Just now, executive vice president Zhang Baochen introduced relevant activities of the Maritime Day of China.
Next, I'd like to introduce the arrangement and feature activities of Dalian.
Dalian is enhanced by clear water, blue sky and picturesque scenery in midsummer. We gather in the coastal city of Dalian to celebrate the 18th the Maritime Day of China on such a beautiful day. First and foremost, I, on behalf of the Dalian municipal government, would like to express my gratitude to the Organizing Committee of the Maritime Day of China for choosing Dalian as the home city, and pay high tribute to leaders at all levels and people from all walks of life who care about and support the shipping industry and the development of Dalian! Dalian, as an important international shipping center and logistics center in North China, has a modern comprehensive transportation network of sea, land and air. It has five modes of transportation, namely highway, waterway, railway, aviation and pipeline. More than 100 container routes connect Dalian port with more than 160 countries and regions and more than 300 ports, covering major shipping areas in the world. Zhoushuizi International Airport is a Class 4E civil transport airport with 255 routes to 123 cities at home and abroad. As an important node of the "the Belt and Road", Dalian possesses a number of national major opening-up platforms such as Jinpu new area, and Liaoning pilot free trade zone in Dalian, which makes it one of the cities with the most comprehensive functional zones for opening up in China.
As this year's the Maritime Day of China was held in Dalian, the municipal Party committee and the municipal government attached great importance to it and set up 8 working groups of the Maritime Day Executive Committee with the transportation and publicity departments to work cooperatively with the CIN in preparations. This year's China Maritime Week includes Maritime Day Forum, Academic Annual Conference, Navigation Science and Technology Expo, Navigation Science Popularization Week, etc. The Maritime Day Forum includes 9 special forums, including the prime forum (the launching ceremony of the Maritime Day), and Dalian High Quality Development Forum of Northeast Asia International Shipping Center. The main forum and the opening ceremony of the annual academic conference are the main activities held offline, while other activities are held in a combination of online and offline. The main forum, with the theme of "Leading the new trend of green, low-carbon and intelligent navigation", will be co-hosted by the CIN, Dalian municipal government, China Merchants Group and the China Waterborne Transport Research Institute. Leaders of the Ministry of Transport and Dalian municipal government will be invited to deliver keynote speeches, and major leaders of China Merchants Group, COSCO Shipping, China Shipping Group and China Communications Construction Group will deliver keynote speeches. Hosted by the CIN and with the theme of "High-level Self-reliance in Maritime Science and Technology" the conference will witness the awarding of science and technology award of the CIN, the result release of the grading evaluation results of high-quality scientific and technological journals in the field of navigation, and many speeches addressed by industry experts.
During the China Maritime Week, we will also carry out activities including the national knowledge competition of navigation at Dalian Maritime University, and the urban sailing exhibition among universities in Dalian at Dalian Ocean University. On July 11, Dalian Maritime Safety Administration will allow the public to visit navigation buildings such as sea patrol ships and lighthouses and ship traffic management centers for free. At the same time, the administrative committee of Jinpu new area, the municipal cultural and tourism agency, education unit and other departments and tourism companies as well as the Xinghai Bay Group and other enterprises will also organize a series of mass cultural activities focusing on promoting maritime culture. We hope that journalists will continue to pay attention to and vigorously publicize various activities, so as to create a good atmosphere for China Maritime Day.
Cooperation is like orchid with fragrance. picking and admiring it will bring a win-win situation. Shipping is the source of prosperity and proud to Dalian. We will inherit the broadness and inclusiveness of marine culture and sincerely invite domestic and foreign enterprises and professionals in shipping and logistics to gather here, choose here and invest here with the inclusiveness like the sea. Here, on behalf of the warm and hospitable people of Dalian, I warmly welcome friends from all walks of life to visit Dalian and experience the characteristics and charm of Dalian, a "coastal city of fashion, openness and romance"! Finally, I wish you good health and good luck! Thank you!
Zhang Baochen: Thank you, Vice Mayor Liu Dongli. Next, let's welcome Yi Jiyong, deputy director of the Water Transport Bureau of the Ministry of Transport, to introduce the achievements of water transport, the relevant policies and measures for green, low-carbon and intelligent development as well as the next key work arrangements, taking into account the theme of this year's Maritime Day.
Mr. Yi Jiyong, deputy director of the Water Transport Bureau of the Ministry of Transport
Yi Jiyong: Ladies and gentlemen, friends of journalists
Good afternoon! Now I will introduce:
1、Overall water transport development.
The water transport industry has fully carried forward the spirit of important instructions of president Xi Jinping and implemented the decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, accelerated the high-quality development of water transport in accordance with the requirements of the Ministry Party group, and made remarkable achievements. China has become a major country with important influence on the world water transport, opening a new journey of accelerating the construction of a transportation power.
First, the improvement of water transport infrastructure system was accelerated. Coal, oil, grain, iron ore, container and other major cargo transportation systems is well laid out and operated efficiently. The world-class port clusters in the Yangtze River Delta, Tianjin Hebei, Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao have been basically formed, and trunk line like the Yangtze River and the Xijiang shipping route, major channels such as the Beijing Hangzhou Grand Canal, the main body high-level waterway network including the Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta have been basically finished, forming an inland waterway system with trunk and branch connections, regional network, and the river- sea intersection. By the end of 2021, we already have 21000 berths for production terminals and 128000 kilometers of inland waterways, ranking first in the world.
Secondly, the scale and structure of shipping capacity have been optimized and improved. By the end of 2021, we had 126000 transport ships with a net carrying capacity of 284 million tons, which guarantee the sufficient shipping capacity. The development of large-scale and professional inland transport ships has kept good momentum, and the average net load of ships exceeded 1000 tons. The capacity of the maritime fleet has been steadily increased making China the second in the world with the capacity of the maritime fleet reached 350 million dwt.
Thirdly, the water transport service and support capacity have risen significantly. In 2021, the volume of waterway cargo transport reached 8.24 billion tons, ranking first in the world. Maritime transport accounts for about 95% of China's foreign trade freight volume and China has the highest global connectivity of maritime transport, accounting for about one-third of the global maritime transport volume. The cargo volume through Yangtze River has been ranked first in the world for many years in a row, better consolidating its role as the main channel of waterway transport and the main force of foreign trade transport. The throughput of port cargo and container have been stayed top in the world for years, Among the world's top 10 ports in terms of port cargo throughput and container throughput, Chinese ports account for 7, or 8. Since the outbreak of the epidemic, the water transport logistics supply chains have been kept stable and smooth, ensuring that "normal export and import ", and the "hard core" strength of the port has been fully demonstrated. Since the beginning of this year, the ports and waterways across the country have been smooth and efficient, the shipping capacity has been effectively guaranteed, and the water transport production has continued to maintain a stable growth trend.
2、 Introduction to green, low-carbon and intelligent development of water transport
The state attaches great importance to the green, low-carbon and intelligent development of water transport. In recent years, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council have successively issued the Outline of Building a Transportation Power and the Outline of Comprehensive National Transportation Network Planning. The Ministry of Transport has resolutely implemented the decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, issued the "14th Five Year Plan" for Water Transport, the "14th Five Year Plan" for Green Transport and the "14th Five Year Plan" for Digital Transport, as well as the guiding documents for building a world-class port, promoting the high-quality development of the maritime industry and the Yangtze River shipping transport. From the aspects of infrastructure construction, transportation structure adjustment, new energy and clean energy application, pollution control, scientific and technological innovation, regulatory system construction, international exchange and cooperation, we have made systematic deployment for the green, low-carbon and intelligent development of water transport and adopted a series of measures, and has achieved remarkable results.
（1） In promoting the green, low-carbon development of water transport, the following measures have been taken:
First, we have improved the laws, regulations and standards for the application of new energy and clean energy in water transport.We have formulate the Administrative Measures for Port and Ship Shore Power, revised the inspection rules for international and domestic seagoing ships and inland river ships, and promoted the use of shore power by new ships and existing ships. Jointly with relevant departments and units, we issued support policies and promoted the transformation and use of ships and dock shore power facilities in key areas. We have also formulated, revised and issued inspection rules and safety supervision measures for LNG and other power driven ships.
Secondly, we strengthened the control of air pollutants from ships and pollution from ships and ports. We have established control zones for the discharge of atmospheric pollutants from ships in the coastal waters, the Yangtze River trunk line and the Xijiang River shipping trunk line, and promoted the implementation of the global "sulphur limit" policy. We have strengthened the monitoring and supervision of ship exhaust gas, promote the incorporation of the energy efficiency design index of new ships into the ship technical regulations, and establish and improve the long-term mechanism for pollution prevention and control of ships and ports in the Yangtze River Economic Zone. At present, we have basically realized the closed-loop management of the whole process of electronic receipt, and initially realized the tracing of the source and destination of ship pollutants.
Third, we have optimized the transportation organization and port energy mixture. We promoted the medium and long-distance transportation of containers and bulk goods, from road to waterway, and vigorously develop railway and water intermodal transport and transfer transport between waters. All the coal gathering ports in the northern regions have been transported by rail or water, and the container transport volume by railway and waterways has increased rapidly. New structures, materials, equipment and technologies of eco-friendly water transport projects have been applied to promote the construction of green waterways. Efforts have been made to promote the renewal and replacement of new and clean energy power for port operation vehicles and equipment, port tugs and operation machinery.
（2） The following measures have been taken to promote the intelligent development of water transport:
First, the construction of smart ports has been actively promoted. We carried out the construction of smart port demonstration projects, issued the Action Plan for New Infrastructure Construction in the Transportation (2021-2025), issued national standards including the Design Code for Automated Container Terminals, promoted the intelligent upgrading of existing container terminals and the construction of a new generation of automated ones, and promoted the application of automatic driving on the port and the port collection and distribution channels. The BDS has been further applied in the field of water transportation
Secondly, the construction of smart navigation channels has been actively promoted. We successively issued technical specifications such as the Technical Specifications for Electronic Waterway Maps for Inland Rivers, forming a relatively complete industrial standard for digital channel construction. At present, the electronic navigation map of the Yangtze River has been fully completed and further extended to the tributaries of the Han River and the Gan River. The Jiangsu section and Zhejiang section of the Beijing Hangzhou Grand Canal have improved the efficiency of ships passing through the lock by improving the application programs. The application of the joint dispatching system to the navigation structures of the main shipping line of the Xijiang River and the Jialing River has shortened the time for ships to pass the lock and improved the overall operation efficiency of the cascade lock.
Thirdly, the intelligent shipping has been actively promoted. Together with relevant departments, the Guidelines on the Development of Intelligent Shipping was issued to strengthen the research, development and application of autonomous navigation ship technology, and intelligent navigation ships such as "Zhifei" were put into test or operation. We carried out pilot applications of coastal multi-functional navigation aids and 5G maritime broadband communications, and continue to promote the building of "one maritime map" service capacity.
Fourthly, a shipping service network based on the blockchain has been built. We have issued the construction guidelines of the blockchain-based electronic delivery platform for imported containers and the electronic platform for import dry bulk cargoes, organized and carried out the blockchain-based project for the smooth passage of imported e-commerce goods and the improvement of refrigerated container port and shipping services and promoted the application of the blockchain electronic delivery platform for port and shipping. By taking all these measures we have realized the electronic circulation of documents such as bills of lading, sea waybills, and significantly improved the efficiency of electronic release of cargo and the level of port and shipping services.
That's all. Thank you!
Zhang Baochen: Thank you, deputy director Yi Jiyong. That concludes today’s main release session. Now let’s move to the question-and-answer session. The reporters who ask questions need to identify your media, please.
First of all, let’s welcome the reporter from China Media Group.
Q&A session:
Reporter of China Media Group
China Media Group: What measures the Ministry of Transport has taken to promote the use of shore power by ships in berthing, rectify the prominent problems of pollution caused by ships and ports in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and promote the construction of automated terminals? How effective are they?
Yi Jiyong: The following measures have been taken to promote the use of shore power for ship berthing:
First, we promote the formulation and revision of policies and regulations. The Administrative Measures for Shore Power of Ports and Ships were revised and issued to implement the requirements of laws and regulations such as the Yangtze River Protection Law. In addition, the National Development and Reform Commission, the National Energy Administration, and the State Grid Corporation of China jointly issued the Notice on Further Promoting the Use of Shore Power by Ships in the Yangtze River Economic Belt to coordinately advance the transformation and use of shore power facilities for ships and docks.
Second, we strive for the preferential policies for the use of onshore power. We have promoted the transformation of ship power receiving facilities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt into the scope of investment support in the central budget for the “14th Five-Year Plan” period. Since 2021, more than 6,600 ships have completed the transformation of shore power receiving facilities. Meanwhile we have coordinated with the State Grid Corporation to implement preferential measures for its self-built shore power facilities, with the comprehensive cost of shore power for ships not exceeding RMB1/kWh, and Zhejiang and Shanghai have also introduced local supportive policies. Port enterprises are encouraged to implement a priority berthing policy for ships using shore power in port.
Third, we will focus on the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Bohai Bay, Qiongzhou Strait and other regions to advance the use of shore power. We will work to print and issue the promotion plan and establish a regular supervision mechanism. Ports and water service areas in 11 provinces and cities of the Yangtze River Economic Belt used 66 million kwh of shore power in 2021, with a year-on-year increase of 32%; In the first half of 2022, 31.4 million kwh of onshore power was used, with a year-on-year increase of 25% and obvious results. In addition, we have also strengthened the promotion of the use of shore power in key areas such as Bohai Bay, Qiongzhou Strait inter-provincial passenger (cargo) ships, as well as large dry bulk carriers for coastal domestic trade. In the first half of this year, the number of ships receiving shore power and the power consumption of the port increased significantly.
For the second question, in promoting the rectification of the prominent pollution problems of ships and ports in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, we have mainly taken three measures:
First, we established a long-term mechanism. On the basis of the one-year special rectification carried out in the early stage, the Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development jointly issued and implemented the Opinions on Establishing and Improving a Long-term Mechanism for the Prevention and Control of Ship and Port Pollution in the Yangtze River Economic Belt in March 2021, which help consolidate the rectification results of prominent pollution problems of ships and ports in the belt and comprehensively improve the pollution prevention and control capacity.
Secondly, we will do a good job of on-site supervision and inspection. We will consolidate the results of rectifying the prominent pollution problems caused by ships and ports in the Yangtze River Economic Belt and further promote the implementation of the Administrative Measures for the Prevention and Control of Water Pollution from Vessels in Inland Rivers Below 400 Gross Tonnage. Meanwhile, we will work to strengthen the law enforcement and supervision, and intensify the crackdown on illegal discharge of pollutants by ships.
Thirdly, we will promote the construction of pollutant management information system. In March 2021, the joint supervision and service information system for ship water pollutants in the Yangtze River Economic Belt has been completed. We have advanced the effective street connection between the port receiving facilities and urban public transit facilities. At present, we have basically realized the closed-loop management of the whole process of electronic receipt, initially delivered the traceability of the source and destination of ship pollutants, and established a new pattern of joint departmental supervision and Internet supervision. Since the system was launched in July 2021, the number of registered users of the information system has reached 261,000, 88,000 ships, and 3.831 million pollutants have been received, including 13,500 tons of ship garbage and 885,000 cubic meters of sewage.
In terms of promoting the construction of automated terminals, three main measures have been taken:
First, the Guiding Opinions on Building World-Class Ports and the Action Plan for New Infrastructure Construction in the Field of Transportation (2021-2025) and other documents were issued to promote the construction of automated container terminals, accelerate the breakthrough of key technologies in key fields, and form a technical standard system with Chinese characteristics. In doing so, they will provide policy guidance for the larger scale application of automated terminals.
Secondly, on the basis of summing up the experience of various port enterprises, the organization will compile and publish the Design Specifications for Automated Container Terminals as well as the Guidelines for the Construction of Automated Container Terminals to provide technical guidance for the construction of automated terminals.
Thirdly, the construction of automated terminals will be included in the pilot task of building the transportation strength and the task of scientific and technological innovation and research to support the acceleration of the construction of automated terminals.
At present, China has fully mastered the key technologies of the whole chain of automatic terminal design and construction, equipment manufacturing, system integration and operation management, and relevant technologies and standards have gone abroad. For the moment, 12 automated container terminals have been built in China, and more than 10 automated terminals are under construction or transformation. Qingdao Qianwan automatic terminal has set world records for operation efficiency for many times. On June 28 this year, the average single machine operation efficiency reached 60.18 natural containers per hour in the operation of “Dexiang Xuming” ship. Under the special circumstances of the COVID-19 epidemic, the construction and use of automated terminals have demonstrated the port’s strong anti-risk ability and obvious resilience.
That’s all I have to say, thanks.
Zhang Baochen: Thanks again for your reply. Just now many reporters raised their hands. Now let’s welcome the reporter from People’s Daily to ask questions.
Reporter of People’s Daily
People’s Daily: We know that July 11, the date of China’s Navigation Day, is the time for Zheng He’s first voyage to the West. Zheng He’s fleet demonstrated the leading navigation technology at that time, and “Zheng He Spirit” also became a bond of friendship and exchange between China and foreign countries. How will we pass on and promote the “Zheng He Spirit” today?
Zhang Baochen: Thank you for your question. Let me answer this question.
More than 600 years ago, the great feat of Zheng He’s seven voyages to the West opened the prelude to the era of world navigation, which became a monument in the history of human navigation. His spirit of pioneering and innovation, courageous efforts, scientific exploration, advocating peace, honesty and harmony, and daring to be the first reflects the spiritual connotation of Chinese navigation culture. More than 2,000 years ago, during the Qin and Han Dynasties, our ancestors created the Maritime Silk Road, which became an important cultural and trade link between China and the world. The Chinese people once created a glorious maritime history, bringing navigation science and technology such as compass, stern rudder and watertight compartment to all parts of the world.
After the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, China’s maritime industry has made great efforts to achieve brilliant achievements, which also forged the maritime spirit of the new era. The connotation of the spirit of navigation in the new era can be summed up in the following words, namely “Being patriotic and dedicated, pioneering and innovating; undaunted by hardship and danger, truthful and pragmatic, tolerant and cooperative, helping each other.”
The navigation spirit of the new era is the vivid embodiment of the national spirit and the spirit of the times in the navigation practice, and it is the spiritual wealth jointly created by the vast number of practitioners in the navigation field. Especially since the reform and opening up, a large number of advanced figures and collectives with extensive influence and charisma have emerged in the industry, such as the “Qingdao port spirit”, “Huatonghai spirit”, “Zhenchao spirit”, “Kong Xiangrui spirit”, “Rescue spirit”, “Small pole spirit” and “Beacon light spirit”. In fact, there is also an important spirit here, that is, the spirit of “Bao Qifan spirit”. Mr. Bao Qifan is on the spot today and he will also be interviewed later. Welcome to Mr. Bao to attend. In their ordinary work posts, these advanced model figures have done, loved, specialized in their work, and have interpreted the great spirit of navigation in the new era with their moving deeds.
At present, we are accelerating the construction of a strong transportation country, a strong maritime country and a strong shipping country, , which requires not only hard power such as strong economy and science and technology, but also the support of soft power such as maritime culture and navigation spirit. At the launching ceremony of the 2022 China Navigation Day Forum and the National Navigation Day Activities Week to be held tomorrow, the Office of the China Navigation Day Organizing Committee, in conjunction with the China Seaman Construction Union, the China Institute of Navigation, the Chinese Society for Oceanography, the China Shipowners’ Association and other institutions, will jointly issue the Proposal for Promoting the Spirit of Navigation in the New Era, calling on the vast number of practitioners to learn, publicize and practice the spirit of navigation in the new era. The strong transportation and shipping countries will further pool their spiritual strength to strive for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation!
I also hope that all media friends will vigorously promote the spirit of navigation in the new era, and actively publicize and report advanced models in the field of navigation in the new era. Around this topic, that’s all my answers around this topic, and thank you for your questions.
Next, let’s welcome the reporter from China Transport News.
Reporter of China Transport News
China Transport News: China Merchants Group was founded 150 years ago, and it established the first commercial fleet in modern China and opened the first ocean-going commercial route in China; in 1979, it established Shekou Industrial Zone and fired the first shot of reform and opening up. It can be said that China Merchants Group has witnessed and participated in the process of China’s transportation development and reform and opening up. What are the strategic considerations and key projects to promote the high-quality development of shipping and the construction of a strong transportation country?
Zhang Baochen: This is a good question. Today, Wang Hong, director and deputy secretary of the Party Committee of China Merchants Group, is personally present at the meeting, so please welcome Secretary Wang Hong.
Mr. Wang Hong, director and deputy party secretary of China Merchants Group
Wang Hong: Thank you for your question. China Merchants Group started from the port and shipping company. At the beginning of its establishment in 1872, it was entrusted with the historical mission of restoring the navigation rights of rivers and seas. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the Group. After 150 years of trials and tribulations, China Merchants Group has inherited the ancestral industry of shipping, recruiting the world’s business, navigation to five continents and made remarkable achievements in various businesses. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, China Merchants Group has deeply implemented Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, practiced the corporate mission of “promoting the progress of the times with commercial success”, and adhered to the corporate values of “sharing the destiny with the motherland and developing together with the same era”. In addition, it is committed to building a world-class port, shipping, highway and logistics enterprise with global competitiveness, and demonstrating new responsibilities and making new contributions in building a strong transportation country.
There are mainly two major aspects. The first is to actively fulfill the responsibilities of central enterprises in building a strong transportation country. We work to build a global port network and act as the “main force” of the “Belt and Road Initiative” interconnection. China Merchants Group actively responded to the joint construction of the “Belt and Road Initiative”, steadily operated the global ports, and promoted the high-quality development of overseas strong ports. China Merchants Group is one of the earliest Chinese companies to invest in ports overseas.
The other one is to build overseas park warehousing. China Merchants Group has invested in and managed 5 major overseas parks and 66 business outlets in 40 overseas countries and regions, accelerating the construction of an integrated service network with internal and external linkages.
We should make the international logistics channels smooth. China Merchants Group’s maritime route runs through the important port hub on the Maritime Silk Road, and it enjoys the second largest fleet in the world and the world’s first-class supertanker and super large mineral sand fleet to some extent.
We will accelerate the construction of the international logistics supply chain system. The system puts forward such measures as building a leading backbone enterprise in the international logistics supply chains, improving the overseas logistics service network and capacity, and strengthening the national strategic materials and container transportation support capacity. Meanwhile, we will accelerate the digital transformation of the logistics supply chain and other initiatives to integrate internal and external resources to actively promote the construction of China Merchants’ international logistics supply chain system.
Secondly, we will accelerate the green, low-carbon, intelligent and high-quality development.
The Group promotes the high-quality development of international shipping, inland waterway shipping and ports with the green, low-carbon and intelligent new trend. It will strengthen the energy conservation and emission reduction and promote the systematic construction of green ports, shipping and logistics. In addition, it strives to build green and low-carbon ports and carries out research on green ecological and environmental protection ship technology. And it optimizes the fleet capacity structure and carry out the ship equipment renovation.
We will actively implement the national strategy of the great protection of the Yangtze River and the green development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt. We have transformed and built LNG powered ships in batches, leading the high-quality development of Yangtze River shipping. We have also built a national level international logistics big data platform, synchronized the information supply chains with the logistics industry chains, promoted the international port and shipping logistics information interaction and resource sharing, and advanced the construction of the international logistics big data platform.
On the new journey, with the spirit of striving for success and the responsibility to rejuvenate the country, we will do our best to help China into a strong transportation country and provide strong support for building a socialist modern country and realizing the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Zhang Baochen: Thank you, Secretary Wang Hong. This year is also the 150th anniversary of China Merchants Group. Congratulations! Among the reporters who raised their hands just now are Liaoning Daily. This year’s event will be held in Dalian. Please come and ask your questions.
Reporter of Liaoning Daily
Liaoning Daily: China is a big port country. What has been done in promoting the low-carbon development of ports in recent years? What is the direction and path for the next step?
Zhang Baochen: let’s welcome president Zhu Jianhua, vice president of the China Waterborne Transport Research Institute, to answer this question.
Zhu Jianhua, vice president of the China Waterborne Transport Research Institute Transport
Zhu Jianhua: As you said, China is a veritable port country. In 2021, China’s ports completed 15.5 billion tons of cargo throughput, including 283 million TEUs of containers, ranking first in the world for many years.
In recent years, the Ministry of Transport has conscientiously implemented Xi Jinping’s thought on ecological civilization, thoroughly implemented the strategic deployment of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council to accelerate the construction of a strong transportation country, and actively promoted the construction of low-carbon ports, which achieved remarkable results. A series of low-carbon technologies, such as “replacing oil with electricity” for wheeled container gantry cranes, the use of shore power for berthing ships, the full electric automated container terminal, and the electrification of port mobile machinery have been widely promoted and applied in the industry. Some ports have also carried out the exploration and application of electric port as a tug, solar energy storage technology and hydrogen energy technology.
On June 24, in order to thoroughly implement the Opinions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council on Completely and Accurately Implementing the New Development Concept and Doing a Good Job in Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutralization, the Ministry of Transport formulated and released the industry implementation opinions, which will further accelerate the green and low-carbon transformation of transportation.
In the future, the following work needs to be done to continue to promote the construction of low-carbon ports.
First, we will actively build a clean and low-carbon port energy system. The port operation machinery will gradually realize electricity, new energy or clean energy alternatives, promote the application of wind power, photovoltaic power generation, geothermal energy and hydrogen energy in the port according to local conditions. In addition, we will continuously improve the utilization ratio of clean energy and renewable energy. Second, we will continue to optimize the organization of port transportation. We will vigorously develop the transportation organization modes such as rail-water combined transport, river-sea direct transport, and water-water transfer. During the “14th Five-Year Plan” period, the volume of containerized rail-water combined transportation is planned to increase by more than 15% annually. Third, we will vigorously promote the application of energy-saving and low-carbon technologies and products, with a particular attention to the promotion and application of technologies and products listed in the industrial energy-saving and low-carbon catalogue. Fourth, we will optimize and improve the production process and improve energy efficiency. For example, we will promote the adoption of the intelligent dispatching operation system of the whole equipment in the container terminal and promote the automation process transformation of the dry bulk terminal. Fifth, we will effectively improve our capacity to manage carbon emissions. We will work to formulate and revise relevant systems and standards for energy consumption and carbon emission of the port industry, and establish and improve the carbon emission monitoring, reporting and verification system. Sixth, we will carry out the pilot demonstration of near zero carbon ports to lead the whole industry to achieve low-carbon development.
As a national team of water transport scientific research, in the future, we will continue to improve the level of scientific and technological innovation, constantly strengthen the ability to serve the ministry and the industry. At the same time, we will provide strong technical support for the low-carbon development of the port and make new contributions to the construction of a world-class green and smart port. Thank you!
Zhang Baochen: Thank you, President Zhu. Now let’s welcome the reporter from People’s Daily to ask questions.
Reporter of People’s Daily
People’s Daily: Intelligent shipping is a new trend in the development of the world’s shipping industry. What is the current level of China’s intelligent shipping technology development and what is the prospect?
Zhang Baochen: Thank you for your question. I’ll answer it. Indeed, as you said, intelligent shipping, as a new trend of world shipping development, is approaching us at a fast pace. General Secretary Xi also mentioned that we are supposed to follow the direction of the green and low-carbon development of the shipping industry. At present, the theme of our navigation week is also the theme of this direction. The era of intelligent shipping is indeed coming towards us. To answer this question, I would like to give you a brief introduction to the prediction results of the intelligent industrialization development of the China Institute of Navigation, and we planned to briefly introduce the situation at the opening ceremony of the forum tomorrow morning.
In order to grasp the future and make a good consultation for decision making, the China Institute of Navigation, in cooperation with more than 20 institutes such as the China Waterborne Transport Research Institute Transport, has undertaken the project of China Intelligent Shipping Technology and Industrialization Development Roadmap of the China Association for Science and Technology. It has carried out research for 16 months and produced results. The development of intelligent shipping technology industrialization in China is predicted. We have also analyzed and compared this trend in the world. With this in mind, we invited 121 domestic experts in relevant fields to participate in the research and investigation, focusing on the development direction of 23 questions on intelligent shipping development, each of which has 8 questions to answer. The questions are set according to the key technologies of intelligent shipping, domestic advantages and disadvantages and the intelligent development trend.
After extensive collection of information and repeated research and argumentation, the project team believes that the development of intelligent shipping technology in China has now ranked first in the world. Just now, Yi also introduced that from the perspective of intelligent terminal, intelligent container terminal, intelligent ship, especially the intelligent navigation technology research, some technical electronic navigation supports, etc. are still at a relatively sound level. However, we also face great pressure. It is necessary to speed up the development progress and keep its own advantages while constantly shoring up its weak links, further break through key technologies in key fields, and create advantages and participate in the international competition. The development of intelligent shipping should be in the next 15 years, which is a key race in the future. And it will lead to the profound changes in the shipping industry. The overall development of intelligent shipping technology, especially international navigation technology, is mainly led by the European Union, followed by Japan and South Korea, and now Russia is also great. China also started early in this respect, and more than 90% of China’s are basically close to the international advanced level. As we all know, “Zhifei” is the largest ship in the world, with assisted driving function, remote control driving function, also has the function of autonomous driving, and autonomous pioneering function, at the same time also has a manual driving mode. This ship is a national key research and development group project, and I am also the host of this project. Therefore, I know this research well. It has now become the largest intelligent navigation product in the world. In addition, the internationally famous “Yara Birkeland” of Norway is 80 meters long and 15 meters wide, which is loaded with 120 20-foot standard containers. Our ship is 117 meters long and can sail 300TEU containers independently, which is also good in navigation function.
In our current development, most of the technologies in the whole intelligent navigation technology can approach the international advanced level or remain such a level. It should be said that most of the technologies can approach the international leading level through the three Five-Year plans. If we can make up for our shortcomings, such as the construction of the ecosystem or the promotion of the industrial objectives of large projects, there are many foreign experiences that we can learn from. By 2035, China’s intelligent shipping technology and industrialization will generally reach the international advanced level. By that time, more than 30% of the ships in China’s coastal areas will be intelligent ships. The development of intelligent navigation will bring a series of changes to shipping, and I will introduce these situations tomorrow.
Thank you for your question. Now let’s welcome the reporter from China Daily.
Reporter of China Daily
China Daily: The construction of the international logistics supply chain system has been affected by the epidemic, and the logistics supply chains and industrial chains have been greatly affected. Can you introduce whether the subordinate businesses of China Merchants Group have been affected, and what work has been done to ensure smooth logistics?
Wang Hong: Since March this year, not only since March, but also due to the frequent occurrence of domestic epidemics, freight transportation in some areas has been blocked and the logistics fails to be smooth, and the stability of the industrial chain and supply chain is facing difficulties and challenges. The port, shipping, logistics and highway businesses of China Merchants Group have also been affected to varying degrees.
In the face of the epidemic, China has also introduced a series of policies. We China Merchants Group thoroughly studied and implemented the spirit of the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping, and resolutely implemented the clear requirements of the Party Central Committee that “the epidemic must be prevented, the economy must be stabilized, and the development must be safe.” The State Council’s logistics and security work leading group and the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council have established a working mechanism for the Group’s security and smooth operation at the first time, making overall arrangements and taking multiple measures. The operation and business have been affected to a certain extent, and its own business is relatively wide, therefore, the total economic benefits in addition to the logistics business is affected to a certain extent, the other impact is not very large.
We have four aspects in ensuring smooth operation.
First, we strengthened the organizational leadership and establish a special class mechanism. China Merchants Group immediately established the headquarters and special working team of logistics guarantee mechanism with chairman Miao Jianmin and general manager Hu Jianhua as the general managers, and actively connected with the Ministry of Transport, State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council and other departments. In addition, we organized the implementation of national tasks, coordinated the solution of policy issues, and timely reported the work situation. The Group and relevant ministries and commissions, as well as all secondary companies, strengthened the docking with the local governments to respond to the emergency transportation needs in a timely and rapid manner.
Second, we ensured the normal operation of infrastructure and smooth passage. The ports, highways, and other units under the control of China Merchants Group carefully compared with the requirements of ensuring smooth traffic to ensure the implementation of policies and service guarantee. The main control ports of the Group guaranteed the 24-hour normal operation. China Merchants Port and Liaoning Port Group organized the terminals in the epidemic-related areas to arrange for operators to station in advance and conducted closed management and flexible operation to minimize the impact of the epidemic on loading and unloading operations. China Merchants Highway will make every effort to ensure the smooth traffic of expressways, actively cooperate with local governments to open sufficient lanes, and ensure the normal operation of service areas and improve traffic efficiency.
Third, we actively participated in emergency transportation services in epidemic areas. In order to support Shanghai’s fight against the epidemic, Sinotrans Limited has coordinated the efficient linkage of various business lines in East China, and actively opened up the Yangtze River water transport and Yangtze River Delta land transport channels by means of road to rail and land to water. The shipping companies affiliated to China Merchants Ships actively solicited goods, supplemented the supply of goods at Shanghai ports, and innovated and optimized the import bill exchange business. In addition, it strengthened the guarantee of container use at ports, and reduced or exempted the import demurrage charges of Shanghai customers during the epidemic period. In order to support Hong Kong’s fight against the epidemic, China Merchants Group immediately organized its subsidiaries to build a highway-railway multimodal transport channel to help start the central port assistance train, open a waterway transport express channel, and maintain 24-hour uninterrupted day shift barge special line service. By doing so, they can efficiently transport materials for Hong Kong, and play a positive role in ensuring the smooth supply of epidemic prevention materials, living materials, shelter hospital construction materials, etc.
Fourth, we made every effort to ensure the transportation of key materials for the resumption of work and production. Each company carefully sorted out the freight logistics needs of key customers in terms of resuming production, stabilizing production and stabilizing the chain, and made full use of the Group’s comprehensive resource advantages in transportation logistics to help enterprises solve supply chain problems. China Merchants Ships have increased their transport capacity to ensure the transportation of imported crude oil, LNG, iron ore, grain, coal and other important materials. China Yangtze Shipping Group actively provided transportation support for key enterprises such as steel, energy and refining along the river and coastal areas. Liaoning Port Group opened up a green channel for the transportation of key materials and strengthened the construction of the logistics channel for the transportation of grain from the north to the south. Sinotrans provided the customized logistics solutions for “whitelist” enterprises that resume production.
In the next step, under the strategic guidance of building a transportation power, China Merchants Group will proceed from the overall situation of ensuring people’s livelihood and stability, closely integrate with the construction of the international logistics supply chain system and the “the Belt and Road Initiative” and integrate with the stability of the national key material supply chain and the overall economic situation. Meanwhile, it will closely integrate with the overall planning of the normalized epidemic prevention and control and various work in the shipping field, so as to welcome the 20th National Congress of the CPC with concrete actions.
Zhang Baochen: Thank you, Secretary Wang Hong. Now we have the last question. The reporter of Xinhua News Agency raised his hand for several times. Now please ask your questions.
Xinhua News Agency’s Reporter
Xinhua News Agency: Just now, you have introduced the theme of this year's China Maritime Day, which is “Leading the New Trend of Green, Low-carbon and Intelligent Navigation”. Why did you choose this theme? Does it represent the direction of future maritime development?
Zhu Jianhua: When it comes to the green and low-carbon development trend, I’d like to talk about my understanding and knowledge about it. First, let's talk about this new trend.
From an international perspective, it has become a broad consensus of the international community, the wider global trend and the trend of the times to address global climate change and achieve green and low-carbon development. To implement the Paris Agreement, countries have put forward their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) to jointly address global climate change. In 2018, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) launched an initial strategy for reducing Greenhouse Gas （GHG） emission for the global shipping industry. The International Chamber of Shipping and major shipping enterprises around the world have vigorously promoted the green and low-carbon development of shipping, and increased the application of clean energy, renewable energy and low-carbon and zero-carbon fuel. In short, green and low-carbon development of global shipping industry has become an urgent requirement and future development trend.
Domestically, since the 19th CPC National Congress, the Party Central Committee has put forward higher and newer requirements for ecological civilization and green development. Documents such as the Outline for Building a Strong Transportation State and the Opinions on Thoroughly, Accurately and Comprehensively Implementing New Development Philosophy to Achieve Carbon Dioxide Peaking and Carbon Neutrality clearly call for accelerating the construction of a green and low-carbon transport system. Now, China's economic and social development has entered the era of a comprehensive green and low-carbon transition. As one of the key areas of energy conservation and emission reduction, the shipping industry is duty-bound. We have the responsibility and ability to take the initiative to accelerate green and low-carbon development.
Next, let's talk about the trend of the intelligent industry. Today's world is undergoing a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation. President Xi Jinping attended the Second Global Conference on Sustainable Transport of the UN and pointed out in his keynote speech that intelligent transport should be vigorously developed. It is known that in recent years, two thirds of major shipping industries in the world have launched the strategies of digital and intelligent development and have achieved great progress. Therefore, it is an inevitable choice and an important measure to vigorously develop intelligent shipping in the construction of a strong shipping country.
On November 4 last year, General Secretary Xi Jinping sent a congratulation letter to the 2021 North Bund Forum on International Shipping, pointing out that China is willing to work with other countries to jointly overcome difficulties, conform to the new development trend of green, low-carbon and intelligent shipping industry, and promote the healthy development of the international shipping industry, contributing to the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind.
I would like to say that China Maritime Day is also the implementation date of the World Maritime Day in China. The theme of China Maritime Day is completely consistent with that of the 2022 World Maritime Day- "New Technology for Green Shipping". We believe that the successful hosting of this year's China Maritime Day activities will promote the progress of building China into a country with maritime strength and strong transportation network, and promote the sustainable and high-quality development of the maritime cause. Thank you very much!
Zhang Baochen: Thank you, president Zhu. Today's press conference is exactly one hour long, and it is due to end as scheduled. In order to help you to better understand and pay attention to navigation, as mentioned just now, we are going to arrange an interview after this meeting and invite two representatives of China Marine Science and Technology Prize. One is Bao Qifan, the winner of the 2021 Highest Marine Science and Technology Prize of China Institute of Navigation, and another is professor Zhang Hongpeng, the representative of Dalian Maritime University for 2022 Outstanding Contribution Team Award of Marine Science and Technology, which is awarded for his team-Intelligent Marine Equipment Complete Technology Research and Smart Operational Innovation Team). They will be interviewed in the Peony Hall on the first floor. I’d like to express my gratitude again to all participants, including mayor Liu, director Yi, secretary Wang Hong, president Zhu, as well as media partners and their questions. The press conference concludes here. Thank you for your coming. Goodbye!