On June 28, 2024, the 2024 Global Forum of Maritime Services and the 40 Years of P&I Services in China was successfully held at the North Bund in Shanghai. The forum, hosted by the China Shipowners’ Mutual Assurance Association (“CPI”), attracted nearly 400 guests from various fields such as global shipping, ports, finance, and insurance.

Themed “Embrace Global Convergence, Empower Shipping Transformation”, the forum aimed to discuss the transformation and challenges of the global shipping industry and to promote the high-quality development of the shipping service industry. Fu Xuyin, Deputy Minister the Ministry of Transport, stated that the he will continue to support the professionalization, marketization, internationalization, and digitalization of CPI to provide high-quality services for shipping enterprises. Zhang Xiaohong, Deputy Mayor of Shanghai, emphasized Shanghai’s advantages in the field of shipping services and proposed to promote the transformational upgrading of shipping services.

Many important guests delivered speeches and presentations at the forum, including Andrew Cutler, Chairman of the International Group of P&I Clubs, and Wan Min, Chairman of China COSCO Shipping Corporation Limited, who all emphasized the collaborative development of the shipping and insurance industries and their contributions to the stability of the global supply chain.

During the forum, a 40th-anniversary ceremony of the Chinese Shipowners’ Mutual Insurance business was also held to commemorate the development and achievements of CPI over the past 40 years. Xu Lirong, Chairman of the CPI, pointed out in his keynote speech that CPI has become an important element in the development of China’s shipping industry and will continue to leverage its professional advantages to promote the upgrading of shipping elements.

In addition, the forum included several panel discussions and keynote speeches on hot topics in the shipping industry, such as green and low-carbon, digital and intelligent, discussing the impact of new technological and regulatory trends on the industry, as well as practical experiences of shipping and port enterprises. The Firm’s senior partner, Greg Yang hosted the panel discussion on “Dispute Resolution”, which focused on exploring how legal and arbitration services could promote high-quality development in the shipping industry, how to further optimize dispute resolution mechanisms, and how to enhance the ability of shipping companies to prevent and resolve risks.