Tianjin International Shipping Industry Expo

The 3rd Tianjin International Shipping Industry Expo 2025 was successfully held from June 12 to 14 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Tianjin). This year’s event was themed “Connecting the World by Sea, Driving the Future—Embracing New Opportunities for Openness and Cooperation,” co-hosted by ten entities including the Tianjin Municipal Transportation Commission, the Municipal Bureau of Commerce, and the Binhai New Area Government, and has become a flagship annual gathering for the shipping industry.

In terms of scale, the expo featured nine major exhibition zones spanning a total area of 51,000 square meters, bringing together 445 enterprises and institutions from around the globe. It attracted 56,100 professional visitors, with over 4 million online viewers, and secured intended investment commitments exceeding RMB 40 billion. New participants included central state-owned enterprises such as China Shipbuilding Group, China Merchants Group, Sinotrans Development, China Minmetals Logistics, National Pipeline Group, Bohai Chemical Group, and Bohai Bank, alongside industry leaders like Shanghai Zhongyuan Shipping and Hai Feng International, as well as 23 leading private companies including Zhongchuang Logistics, Yuhu Cold Chain, and Julisi Rigging. In addition, shippers of bulk commodities from Beijing, Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Inner Mongolia were invited to attend.

This edition of the expo showcased numerous highlights, with international exchanges and project collaborations serving as its central attractions. The opening ceremony featured keynote speeches delivered by representatives from the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing, Drewry Shipping Consultants, COSCO Shipping Group, the Port of Antwerp–Bruges in Belgium, and the National University of Singapore. Meanwhile, institutions such as the China Economic Information Service, the Planning Research Institute of the Ministry of Transport, China Shipping Weekly, and China Shipbuilding Group unveiled four major publications, including the “Blue Book on the Development of the Tianjin International Shipping Center” and the “Report on the Economic Development of China’s Seaport Cities and Ports.” Concurrently, more than 20 specialized events were held, including the 5th China (Dongjiang) Shipping Industry Week and the Symposium on Technologies for Developing Smart, Green Ports, complemented by nearly one hundred thematic presentations offering in-depth analysis and expert insights. A total of 70 key projects were signed, covering areas such as marine equipment manufacturing, port‑logistics, port‑side trade, green fuels, and shipping finance, with combined investment commitments surpassing RMB 40 billion. For the first time, the “Haihe Midsummer Night” business salon was launched, where companies including Guoneng Shipping, COSCO Shipping, , and Li Auto reached preliminary cooperation agreements on-site.

Specialized exhibition zones and experiential activities emerged as major draws of the event. The expo introduced, for the first time, a comprehensive Tianjin exhibition zone and an outdoor display area, leveraging the Haihe River and the coastline as axes to present a panoramic view of the city’s integrated port‑industrial‑urban development. Public‑facing activities such as static displays of cruise ships, showcases of imported cold-chain fresh food, and exhibitions of premium imported goods drew large crowds. Furthermore, the CNOOC Engineering Tianjin Intelligent Manufacturing Base highlighted the world’s first smart manufacturing facility for offshore oil and gas equipment, becoming one of the expo’s standout features.

The professional visitor lineup was exceptionally strong, with the level of international participation reaching a record high. International guests included the Economic and Commercial Counselor of the British Embassy in China, the Chilean Ambassador to China, representatives from Indonesian enterprises, and the Chief Representative of the Port of Antwerp–Bruges in Belgium. Exhibiting companies generally reported that the quality of professional visitors was high, with clear purchasing intentions, resulting in highly effective on‑site business matchmaking.

Attendees agreed that the Tianjin International Shipping Industry Expo is not only an excellent platform for brand promotion and commercial networking but also a critical hub for gaining insights into global shipping trends and exploring pathways toward digitalization and green transformation. The expo successfully established a collaborative exchange platform for upstream and downstream players in the international shipping sector, further strengthening Tianjin Port’s role as a regional growth driver.