BEIJING, July 11 (Xinhua) -- The 2019 Xinhua-Baltic Exchange International Shipping Center Development Index was unveiled jointly by China Economic Information Service and Baltic Exchange in east China's Shanghai on Thursday.
The Index presented comprehensive development status of international shipping centers from perspectives of port conditions, shipping services and integrated environment.
It listed Singapore, Hong Kong, London, and Shanghai as the top four global shipping hubs for 2019, following by Dubai, Rotterdam, Hamburg, New York-New Jersey, Houston, and Athens.
Apart from Shanghai, Chinese cities including Zhoushan, Guangzhou, Qingdao, Dalian, Shenzhen, Tianjin, Kaohsiung and Xiamen also ranked among the top 30 global shipping hubs.
The 2019 index evaluation results showed that shipping centers of emerging economies in the Asian-Pacific region continue to rise.
To be specific, Singapore remains ahead, and the gap between Hong Kong and London in terms of shipping development has gradually narrowed. Besides, the shipping development in Shanghai and Dubai, two important cities in emerging economies, has increased greatly thanks to the rapid development of modern shipping collection and distribution system, improved shipping service capacity, the driving effect of free trade zones and improved business environment.
Since 2014, the Xinhua-Baltic Exchange International Shipping Center Development Index has been released for six consecutive years. The index evaluation results from 2014 to 2019 showed that the development of global shipping centers is generally stable with apparent eastward trend of global shipping centers.
Currently, the global shipping industry is experiencing profound changes. Major coastal ports of China are deeply expanding cooperation with Belt and Road countries and regions by continuously optimizing the open and efficient port business environment, so as to contribute to the Belt and Road construction and the development of global shipping industry. (Edited by Gu Shanshan)