Strive to Improve the Level of Arbitration Service-Accelerate the Development of Maritime Arbitration by Shanghai Arbitration Commission during the "Fifteenth Five-Year Plan" Period

In July 2026, the "Xinhua-Baltic International Shipping Center Development Index Report (2026)" was officially released. Shanghai's comprehensive strength rose to second place globally, surpassing London for the first time and achieving a historic leap from "scale leadership" to "capability leadership." The maturity of high-end shipping services, especially the professionalization and internationalization of maritime arbitration, was the key support for Shanghai's advancement in shipping capabilities this time.

To thoroughly implement the work deployment of enhancing arbitration service capabilities outlined in the "15th Five-Year Plan" of Shanghai, seize the major opportunities brought by the implementation of the newly revised "Arbitration Law of the People's Republic of China" and the establishment of the temporary arbitration system, and to support the construction of Shanghai as a globally leading international shipping center, the Shanghai Arbitration Commission recently held a maritime arbitration development symposium in Beijing. The event invited some of the Commission's arbitrators based in Beijing, as well as representatives from strategic partners such as China Communications News and the China Diving and Salvage Contractors Association, to discuss new trends in the arbitration industry, explore new development paths, and pool wisdom and strength for the high-quality development of Shanghai's maritime arbitration and its goal of becoming the Asia-Pacific maritime arbitration hub.

Deeply Cultivating Maritime Arbitration: Achieving Seven "Firsts"

"Currently, China's maritime arbitration is facing unprecedented development opportunities," said Sun Haihua, Deputy Director of the Shanghai Arbitration Commission. Under the strong leadership of the Ministry of Transport and the Shanghai Municipal Government, and with the careful guidance of the Municipal Bureau of Justice and the Transportation Commission, the Shanghai Arbitration Commission has established a clear development positioning: "based in Shanghai, oriented towards the Yangtze River Delta, serving the coastal areas, and advancing into inland rivers." The focus is on serving the integration of the Yangtze River Delta, the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and the construction of the Shanghai International Shipping Center, treating maritime arbitration as an important component of enhancing and improving Shanghai's high-end shipping service industry, and vigorously promoting maritime arbitration publicity and service work.

Based on this positioning, the Shanghai Arbitration Commission has carried out a series of pioneering and leading initiatives, achieving seven "firsts."

First, it is the first arbitration institution in the country to sign a strategic cooperation agreement with a national-level transportation and shipping authority.

Second, it is the first arbitration institution in the country to establish a strategic partnership with a national mainstream industry media outlet, taking the lead in forming a long-term strategic partnership with China Communications News and seizing the main platform for national shipping legal discourse.

Third, it is the only arbitration institution in the country to establish comprehensive strategic partnerships with four national shipping associations, including the China Shipowners' Association, China Ports and Harbors Association, China Diving and Salvage Contractors Association, and China Container Industry Association, as well as industry associations such as the Shanghai International Shipping Center Development Promotion Association, Shanghai Shipowners' Association, Shanghai Port Association, and Shanghai Port Union. This has allowed it to deeply root itself in the shipping industry.

Fourth, it is the only arbitration institution in the country to establish cooperative relationships with the Maritime Safety Administration of the Ministry of Transport, its directly affiliated maritime safety administrations, and branch maritime safety administrations. The "Maritime Mediation Integrated with Arbitration Confirmation" innovative model launched in collaboration with the Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration was recognized by Xinhua News Agency as one of the top ten events in the construction of the Shanghai International Shipping Center in 2025.

Fifth, it is the first arbitration institution in the country to compile, formulate, and release the "Three Maritime Model Contracts" involving ports, shipping, and waterways.

Sixth, with the support of the Maritime Safety Administration of the Ministry of Transport, the Yangtze River Shipping Administration, as well as the Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration, the Yangtze River Maritime Safety Administration, and the East China Sea Navigation Support Center, the Shanghai Arbitration Commission has held 11 consecutive maritime arbitration professional salons over the past four years in cities such as Shanghai, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Nanjing, Hefei, Wuhan, Beijing, Chongqing, and Zhengzhou. The discussions have covered a wide range of topics, including marine insurance, non-vessel operating common carriers, inland waterway shipping, risk prevention, and maritime arbitration practices. This event has become a well-known and distinctive brand in the shipping and legal sectors.

Seventh, it is the first arbitration institution in the country to proactively initiate the establishment of a regional arbitration alliance to serve national strategies. The Yangtze River Economic Belt Shipping Arbitration Alliance, initiated by the Shanghai Arbitration Commission, has filled the gap in the field of inland waterway shipping arbitration.

Pooling Strength to Enhance Shanghai's Legal Arbitration Brand

The high-quality development of maritime arbitration relies on institutional innovation, as well as the cultivation of an industry ecosystem and the accumulation of market reputation. At the symposium, experts and scholars from various fields analyzed the development of Shanghai's maritime arbitration in light of the current industry landscape and global context.

Professor Fu Yulin, from the Law School of Peking University and a doctoral advisor, focused on the development of temporary arbitration. He proposed advancing the platformization and institutionalization of temporary arbitration, addressing management shortcomings through standardized platform operations, and promoting the normalization of the temporary arbitration model. Chen Bo, former Deputy Secretary-General and Vice President of the China Maritime Arbitration Commission, stated that institutional arbitration is the foundation for cultivating a high-quality arbitration ecosystem. Only by deeply cultivating institutional arbitration and fostering a mature arbitration culture can a favorable industry atmosphere be created, allowing more temporary arbitration cases to take root and scale up.

Regarding the construction of an industrial ecosystem, Liu Jingxin, former Deputy General Manager of the Shandong Branch of the Export-Import Bank of China, proposed innovative development ideas. He suggested creating a new shipping industry chain model of "bank + shipowner + leasing company," building a closed-loop industrial ecosystem, and guiding market participants across the entire chain to prioritize Shanghai as the arbitration location. This would help expand the volume of maritime arbitration cases and solidify the market foundation. Wang Qingyou, Vice President of the All China Lawyers Association, emphasized the service-oriented nature of arbitration from the perspective of service quality improvement. He suggested deepening regular communication and collaboration with the legal profession, cultivating a professional and high-quality team of arbitrators, and enhancing industry recognition through professional services.

Zhang Wenguang, Director of the Marine Law Research Center at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, analyzed global benchmarks and noted that the current volume of maritime arbitration cases in Singapore is only 5%–8% of London's. With China's vast shipping market, the amount of maritime dispute claims and the number of cases have significant growth potential. Shanghai, with its excellent geographical, policy, and industrial advantages, has the potential to become a global maritime arbitration hub.

The meeting clarified that promoting arbitration culture will be a core task in the next phase. In 2025, the Shanghai Arbitration Commission achieved remarkable results in maritime arbitration promotion, with its industry influence continuously increasing. In 2026, efforts will focus on further expanding promotional channels, addressing development shortcomings, deeply cultivating the domestic shipping market, actively expanding international cooperation, and continuously strengthening international exchanges and brand building to comprehensively enhance the global awareness and recognition of Shanghai's maritime arbitration.

Based on the new journey of the "15th Five-Year Plan" development, the Shanghai Arbitration Commission has identified key development directions. Sun Haihua stated that the Shanghai Arbitration Commission will thoroughly implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and its subsequent plenary sessions, continuously promote innovation in maritime arbitration systems, rules, and services, fully leverage its accumulated experience in maritime arbitration, and deeply explore the policy advantages of Shanghai's Pudong and Lingang New Area. It will focus on the application of the temporary arbitration system, prioritize the Lingang New Area, and establish a temporary arbitration work platform for insurance subrogation. Through the construction of specialized platforms, it aims to create a testing ground for institutional innovation. The goal is to build a first-class maritime arbitration center in the Asia-Pacific region, making "Shanghai Arbitration" a prominent legal brand for China's shipping industry on the global stage and providing strong legal support for Shanghai's construction as a globally leading international shipping center.