The 2023 Port and Shipping Seminar on the High-quality Container Development of Shandong Port Group (SPG) kicked off in Shanghai on March 8. Themed around "promoting new port and shipping integration, sharing new opportunities, and achieving new win-win development," the event was part of SPG's efforts to jointly discuss ways to bolster high-quality container development together with renowned container liners.

Six representatives of container carriers, including Yang Zhijian, chairman of COSCO Shipping Line, Ludovic Renou, CEO of CMA CGM (China) Shipping, Henry He, director of Maersk Asia-Pacific Ocean Customer Logistics, Yang Xianxiang, vice chairman, executive director and CEO of SITC International Holdings, Klaus Ku, general manager of Pacific International Lines (China), and Lu Zongjun, chairman of Shanghai Zhong Gu Shipping Group, delivered speeches at the event. They talked about the new environment and fresh opportunities facing container transport, as well as exchanged views on reducing costs, increasing effectiveness, and improving the quality of services and other areas. They also expressed their confidence that SPG will achieve high-quality growth and asserted their expectations to further deepen collaboration.

During the event, SPG awarded several prizes such as "Gold Partner of Northeast Asia International Transshipment Hub with SPG", "Best Partner for RCEP Regional Development with SPG", "Best Growth Partner of Northeast Asia International Transshipment Hub with SPG", as well as "Best Partner with SPG for Domestic Trade Container Integration Development" to COSCO, Maersk, MSC, CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, and other container carriers.

Additionally, SPG Container Operation Center promoted its container development advantages and services measures. It also signed strategic cooperation agreements on sea-rail combined transportation with Wan Hai Lines, Sinotrans, and RCL, respectively.

In his speech, SPG Chairman Huo Gaoyuan expressed sincere appreciation to all of the container liners for their strong support to SPG. Huo said that SPG will take the building of a world-class port cluster as an important part of its efforts "to grow from a single port operator to a first-rate comprehensive supply chain service provider that relies on its port," with the goal of creating a port that is digitalized and smart, green and low-carbon, as well as internationalized. 

The overall aim is to pursue a stronger port and shipping cooperation foundation, broader cooperation areas, as well as more diversified business scenarios, Huo added. He also asserted that the company will continue to make utmost efforts to offer container liners all-round good services in a bid to jointly forge the port and shipping ecosystem, building a new example of port and shipping collaboration.

The 2023 Port and Shipping Seminar on the High-quality Container Development of SPG kicks off in Shanghai on March 8. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]