As one of the concurrent events of The 4th International Supply Chain Logistics Exposition (ISL Expo 2026), the "First Thematic Seminar of the Top 50 Shipping Elites Research Center", hosted by the Top 50 Shipping Elites Research Center (50SERC), was successfully held in Shanghai on April 22.
The main leaders attending the meeting included Xu Zuyuan, Former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Transport; Huang Xiaowen, Expert of 50SERC and President of China International Freight Forwarders Association; Song Dexing, Expert of 50SERC and Former Director General of the Water Transport Bureau, Ministry of Transport; Ni Wei, Expert of 50SERC and Former President of China Shipping Gazette; and Huang Youfang, Chairman of 50SERC and Director of the Expert Committee.
Other experts of 50SERC attending the meeting included Zhou Hongyun, Former President of China Railway Economic and Planning Research Institute; Hu Keyi, Counselor of Shanghai Municipal People's Government and Chief Expert of Jiangnan Shipyard; Xie Chunlin, Former Chairman of China Merchants Energy Shipping Co., Ltd.; Qian Lin, Former General Manager of China Railway Express Co., Ltd.; Hu Hao, Assistant to the President of Shanghai Jiao Tong University; He Mingke, Former Vice President of Beijing Wuzi University and Chairman of the ISO Technical Committee on Innovative Logistics Technologies (ISO/TC344); Liu Zhixue of the School of Management, Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Li Guo, Head of the Logistics Department, School of Management and Economics, Beijing Institute of Technology; Ge Ying'en, Dean of the School of Transportation Engineering, Chang'an University; Jin Zhihong, Dean of the Logistics Research Institute, Dalian Maritime University; Zhang Haishan, Deputy General Manager of Haoji Railway Co., Ltd.; Zhang Heng, Member of the Party Committee and Deputy General Manager of Shandong Shipping Corporation; Lu Bo of the School of Economics and Management, Dalian University of Technology; Zhang Xiaodong of the School of Traffic and Transportation, Beijing Jiaotong University; Chen Jihong, Dean of Shenzhen International Maritime Institute, Shenzhen University; Mi Weijian, Former Dean of the Logistics Engineering College, Shanghai Maritime University; Gu Wei, Former Director of the Science and Technology Department, Shanghai Maritime University; Luo He, Head of the Logistics Department, School of Management, Hefei University of Technology; Chen Hongbing, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of 50SERC; and Zhao Yifei, Lead of the Shipping Industry Team, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Industry Research Institute and Executive Director of the Expert Committee of 50SERC, together with more than 20 other senior industry experts and scholars.
Three guests attended the seminar as non-voting delegates, namely Wang Xiuping, Secretary-General of the China Communications and Transportation Association - Shipping and Logistics Branch (CCTA-SLB); Zhao Fangyun, Dean of the School of Management, Zhongyuan University of Science and Technology; and Guo Weiping, Director of the Logistics Management Teaching and Research Office, Zhongyuan University of Science and Technology. The meeting was presided over by Zhao Yifei.
Leaders delivered speeches first, clarifying the think tank positioning and strategic direction for the Top 50 Shipping Elites Research Center.
Xu Zuyuan stated that the current complex and volatile international geopolitical situation is unprecedented in the past three decades and is exerting a profound impact on the global shipping landscape. The security of key corridors is directly related to national energy and economic lifelines. Positioned as an industry think tank, the Top 50 Shipping Elites Research Center should conduct its research with a global perspective, shift from "internal communication" to "external voice", devote itself to proposing "Chinese solutions" and establishing "Chinese standards", and demonstrate the resilience and wisdom of China's shipping industry amid turbulent changes.
Huang Youfang emphasized that the research center should achieve a strategic upgrade from a single forum to a "three-in-one high-end platform integrating forum, institution and think tank". The center will break through the traditional scope of maritime transport, establish three major research directions of "comprehensive transportation, logistics supply chain and corporate governance", adhere to openness and collaboration, and build a new-type think tank with international influence.
Ni Wei stated that China Shipping Gazette (CSG), as one of the founding units of the Top 50 Shipping Elites Research Center, will leverage its media advantages to act not only as a recorder of the industry but also as a disseminator of ideas. In the future, it will provide continuous intellectual support and resource assistance to the research center to facilitate its sound development.
In the subsequent expert discussion session, participating experts conducted comprehensive discussions around industry pain points and future trends, mainly reaching the following consensuses and suggestions.
First, actively conduct research on enhancing corridor resilience and building a safe and efficient logistics system. Facing the new trend of global supply chain restructuring, experts pointed out that relying solely on a single mode of transportation can no longer meet national strategic needs. It is suggested that the research center continue to carry out research in two aspects. Domestically, it should not only improve the transportation capacity of various modes of transportation but also enhance the interconnection of transportation infrastructure, focus on researching bottleneck issues such as railway access to port coastal areas and functional extension of inland ports, and put forward suggestions and solutions to increase the proportion of multimodal transport business volume and achieve high-quality development of comprehensive logistics. Internationally, it should conduct in-depth research on the deduction of extreme geopolitical risks, provide more resilient supply chain logistics service solutions for Chinese manufacturing enterprises going global, actively cooperate with national industrial development strategies, and improve the security and stability of supply chains for basic industries related to national security and the national economy and people's livelihood.
Second, proactively carry out research on the application paths of low-carbon, digital and intelligent technologies in the comprehensive logistics industry, and promote the transformation of relevant technological achievements. Experts believed that the industry currently faces two basic problems in the field of green transformation of transportation: one is the supply guarantee of low-carbon fuels, and the other is the high price of low-carbon fuels. It is suggested that the research center strengthen ties with low-carbon energy research institutions and enterprises, disseminate cutting-edge low-carbon development technologies to the industry in various ways, and promote relevant enterprises to make breakthroughs in bottleneck problems of key equipment and materials for low-carbon energy. In terms of digital transformation and intelligent development, it should actively explore application scenarios of industry-wide logistics digital and intelligent products, promote interactive cooperation between port and shipping multimodal transport enterprises and digital and intelligent enterprises, and improve the transformation efficiency of relevant technological achievements.
Third, deeply participate in the formulation of standards at all levels, especially actively participate in the formulation of international standards, and strive to internationalize China's logistics solutions. Experts believed that as Chinese manufacturing enterprises go global in different ways and paths, there is an urgent need for port, shipping and logistics and multimodal transport enterprises to go global simultaneously to provide comprehensive services for chain protection and strengthening. When Chinese logistics enterprises internationalize, they need to simultaneously promote the internationalization of China's existing standards and rules. It is suggested that the research center, relying on the status of major domestic research institutions in the formulation of international logistics standards and making full use of the advantages of the think tank platform, unite all forces to actively participate in the formulation of international rules in key areas such as digital documents and green shipping, and enhance China's voice in the international standard system.
Fourth, deepen the integration of government, research, industry and education, and create conditions for cultivating interdisciplinary talents for the industry. Experts believed that with the continuous improvement of the internationalization level of Chinese enterprises, the demand for human resources is increasingly inclined to interdisciplinary talents with multiple skills, cultural backgrounds and levels. It is suggested that the research center should act as a link connecting the government, universities and enterprises. While carrying out strategic research, it should deeply participate in the construction of the talent training system and deliver high-quality talents adapting to future development for the industry through industry-education integration.
At the end of the meeting, expert representatives expressed high hopes for the future work of the research center, suggesting that it should effectively perform three major functions: act as a "staff officer" for strategic decision-making, a "vanguard" in solving industry problems, and a "bridge" for coordinated progress. Especially in the critical period of digital and green transformation, think tank work should take root in the front line, effectively empower enterprise upgrading, and promote high-quality development of the industry.
It is reported that the Top 50 Shipping Elites Research Center has clarified its next key work priorities: first, establish regular channels for submitting special policy advice reports to transform experts' wisdom into policy recommendations; second, launch the compilation of the annual ESG Green Paper for China's Shipping and Logistics Industry and a press conference mechanism to enhance industry influence; third, deepen cooperation with international organizations and participate in global shipping governance.
This half-day thematic seminar featured intense ideological exchanges and fruitful results. All participating experts of the center agreed that in the journey of building a country with strong transportation, the Top 50 Shipping Elites Research Center will gather the wisdom of all parties and help China steadily advance from a "major shipping country" to a "shipping power".
Group photo of participating guests
