Shanghai International Shipping Institute

What Shanghai International Shipping Institute does

Shanghai International Shipping Institute (SISI, 上海国际航运研究中心) is a non-profit research institute established in 2008 and affiliated with Shanghai Maritime University, headquartered in Hongkou District, Shanghai. It functions as a government-affiliated think tank providing shipping market research, port development analysis, policy advisory, and consulting services primarily to central and local government transportation departments, port authorities, and Chinese state-affiliated port and shipping enterprises (including SIPG, Ningbo Zhoushan Port, Tianjin Port, SINOTRANS, and COSCO group companies). The institute operates through multiple internal research divisions covering international shipping, port development, shipping information, shipping development, shipping center construction, and shipping finance.

SISI's core technology asset is an integrated big data platform combining AIS vessel trajectory data (over 1,100 billion records covering 98% of global commercial vessels, with 10+ billion records processed daily), port dynamics, meteorological data, macroeconomic and trade data, and shipping market freight rate data across container, dry bulk, and tanker segments. The flagship China Shipping Database (中国航运数据库) offers a bilingual one-stop service with 420+ indicator types and 3.9 million data records across five modules. SISI has developed proprietary in-house AI/ML algorithms including a liner ETA prediction model with average error under 4 hours over a 7-day forecast horizon (adopted by Huawei), a deep learning port operation efficiency prediction model achieving 92% container throughput forecasting accuracy, an AIS-based shipping risk warning system identifying 2,000+ vessels in typhoon zones 48 hours in advance, and a blockchain-based shipping document flow platform reducing document processing from 3 days to 4 hours.

The institute's revenue model combines direct consulting engagements (over 200 projects completed for the Ministry of Transport, port authorities, and shipping enterprises), periodic published reports (bi-weekly, quarterly, semi-annual, and annual), data subscription services via the China Shipping Database and SISI-GSPI portal, and custom algorithm/smart port deployments for ports (60+ port informatization projects). Key published outputs include the Global Shipping Market Development Report, Global Port Development Report, China Coastal Dry Bulk Market Report, China Domestic Container Transport Market Report, China/Global Shipping Prosperity Index, and Ship Entry/Exit Safety On-time Forecast Index. SISI distributes through its own new media platforms (航运评论 across WeChat, Weibo, Toutiao, and Bilibili, with 100,000+ followers), official websites (sisi-smu.org, shippingdata.cn, sisi-gspi.com), industry events, and direct institutional delivery. Specific pricing is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Shanghai International Shipping Institute

Legal name

上海国际航运研究中心

Website

https://sisi-smu.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Shanghai International Shipping Institute (SISI) is a non-profit shipping research institute under Shanghai Maritime University that provides big-data-driven market analysis, policy advisory, and consulting to Chinese government agencies and port/shipping enterprises, anchored by the China Shipping Database and proprietary AI-based forecasting tools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Research and Consulting

NAICS

Navigational Services to Shipping (488330)

SIC

Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Maritime EDI / API Connectivity & Messaging Networks (TLAHAOAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Customs, Port Health & Border Agency Integration Solutions (TLAHAOAG)

Keywords

• Shipping market research
• Maritime consulting services
• Port development analytics
• Shipping data intelligence
• Maritime policy research

Headquarters

HQ city

Shanghai

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Shanghai International Shipping Institute (SISI) is a university-affiliated research institute that produces periodic shipping market and port development reports, operates the bilingual China Shipping Database with 420+ indicators and 3.9 million records, publishes the China/Global Shipping Prosperity Index, and delivers custom consulting and big-data-driven analysis to government agencies, port authorities, and shipping enterprises. The institute also runs an AIS-based big data platform covering 110 billion+ vessel trajectory records and is developing AI-powered shipping large-model tools.

Product overview

Shanghai International Shipping Institute (SISI) operates as a comprehensive research and consulting platform offering multiple interconnected products and services. The core offerings include the China Shipping Database (中国航运数据库) - a one-stop data service with 420+ indicators and 3.9 million records, complemented by a suite of research reports including the Global Shipping Market Development Report, Global Port Development Report, and Global Port and Shipping Informatization Development Report. SISI provides quantitative indices including the China/Global Shipping Prosperity Index and Ship Entry/Exit Safety On-time Forecast Index. The institute has developed an AI-powered Port and Shipping Large Model and Intelligent Agents (港航大模型与智能体) system, and maintains a Port and Shipping Big Data Lab and Shipping Logistics Big Data Joint Innovation Lab. Additional offerings include the Shipping Review (航运评论) new media platform with 100,000+ followers, and various data products derived from AIS and market analysis.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• China Shipping Database (中国航运数据库) Bilingual Chinese/English one-stop data query service platform integrating shipping market, port terminals, shipping services, economic indicators, and prosperity indices with 420+ indicator types and 3.9 million records, designed for government agencies, port operators, and shipping enterprises.
• Global Shipping Market Development Report (《全球航运市场发展报告》) Annual comprehensive report analyzing global shipping market trends, covering international container, dry bulk, and tanker transportation sectors, targeted at shipping enterprises and government policy makers.
• Global Port Development Report (《全球港口发展报告》) Quarterly and annual reports tracking global port production, operations, investment, technology innovation, and policy developments for port authorities, terminal operators, and policy researchers.
• Global Port and Shipping Informatization Development Report (《全球港航信息化发展报告》) Annual report covering global port and shipping informatization technology innovation, market scale analysis, and future development trends for shipping IT and digital transformation stakeholders.
• China/Global Shipping Prosperity Index (中国/全球航运景气指数) Quantitative indicator tracking shipping industry cyclicality and market sentiment for China and global shipping markets, published regularly for shipping enterprises, investors, and government agencies.
• Ship Entry/Exit Safety On-time Forecast Index (船舶进出港安全准点预报指数) Real-time forecast index for safety and punctuality of international container ships entering and departing Shanghai Port, used by port operators, shipping companies, and logistics providers.
• Port and Shipping Large Model and Intelligent Agents (港航大模型与智能体) AI-powered system leveraging large language models for shipping industry analysis, intelligent Q&A, and decision support, targeted at shipping enterprises, port operators, and policy researchers.
• Port and Shipping Big Data Lab (港航大数据实验室) Collaborative innovation laboratory integrating AIS trajectory data, port dynamics, and market data for shipping analytics and decision support, providing applied research services to port and shipping enterprises.
• Shipping Logistics Big Data Joint Innovation Lab (航运物流大数据联合创新实验室) Laboratory conducting big data research on shipping logistics, port operations, and supply chain optimization, jointly built with COSCO Shipping Technology, Fudan University, and Shanghai Maritime University.
• Domestic Shipping Market Analysis Report (《国内航运市场分析报告》) Bi-weekly, quarterly, semi-annual and annual analysis reports covering Chinese coastal shipping markets including dry bulk and container transportation sectors for domestic shipping companies and government.
• Global Shipping Think Tank Newsletter (全球航运智库通讯) Regular newsletter providing updates on global shipping think tank activities and industry intelligence for shipping policy makers, researchers, and industry professionals.
• Data Products (数据产品) Various data products including container port service efficiency evaluations, shipping company efficiency rankings, and fleet dynamic monitoring based on AIS data for port operators, shipping companies, and financial analysts.
• Global Modern Shipping Service Industry Development Report (《全球现代航运服务业发展报告》) Periodic report tracking development of the global modern shipping services industry including ship finance, ship brokerage, maritime insurance, and shipping services for policy makers and industry stakeholders.

Quantifiable outcome

• Liner ETA prediction error controlled within 4 hours average over a 7-day forecast horizon, adopted by Huawei for global supply chain management
• +4 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability9 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• COSCO Shipping Technology (中远海运科技)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012COSCO Shipping Technology is a co-founder of the Big Data Joint Innovation Laboratory, contributing technology and industry expertise to the joint research platform focused on port and shipping digital transformation. The laboratory is jointly built with SISI and Shanghai Maritime University.
• Fudan University (复旦大学)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Fudan University is a co-founder of the Big Data Joint Innovation Laboratory, providing academic research capabilities and data science expertise to the joint research platform.
• Shanghai Maritime University (上海海事大学)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012As the parent institution of Shanghai International Shipping Institute, Shanghai Maritime University provides the primary institutional backing, faculty, and research infrastructure for all research activities.
• Ningbo Zhoushan Port (宁波舟山港)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on big data application and smart port research projects. Key enterprise partner for port efficiency analysis using AIS big data.
• Tianjin Port (天津港)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on smart port research and big data application projects. Key enterprise partner for port digitalization and efficiency optimization.
• SIPG (上港集团)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on big data applications for Shanghai Port operations, including port efficiency and logistics optimization studies.
• SINOTRANS (中外运股份)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on shipping market big data analysis and operational efficiency research as a leading shipping market enterprise.
• China Merchants Energy Shipping (招商轮船)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on dry bulk shipping big data intelligence research as a leading dry bulk shipping company.
• COSCO Shipping Dry Bulk (中远海散货)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on dry bulk shipping data analysis and market research.
• Shanghai Shipping Exchange (上海航交所)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing institutional collaboration on shipping market data and index development, including the China Shipping Prosperity Index.
• COSCO Shipping Technology (中远海科技)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on shipping digital transformation and informatization research and consulting.
• YITONG International (亿通国际)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on port and shipping informatization research.
• China Classification Society (中国船级社)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on port and shipping informatization research, maritime standards, and technical consulting.
• Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (新加坡海事及港务管理局)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSigned data sharing agreement in 2023 to jointly promote Southeast Asia regional shipping data standardization. Key international partnership for cross-border data collaboration.
• Port of Rotterdam Authority (鹿特丹港务局)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on Asia-Europe shipping route intelligent scheduling research, reducing route fuel consumption by 8%. International benchmark partnership for port efficiency and smart shipping research.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Xeneta: Norway-based ocean and air freight rate benchmarking platform aggregating carrier and forwarder pricing data. Comparable to SISI's freight rate and market analysis capabilities but with a technology/SaaS commercial model focused on enterprise rate intelligence rather than policy research.
• Project44: Global supply chain visibility platform providing real-time shipment tracking, ocean container visibility, and logistics analytics. Adjacent comparable to SISI's port efficiency and shipping analytics, focused on multimodal supply chain visibility rather than policy and market research.
• MarineTraffic: Greece-based AIS vessel tracking and maritime intelligence platform serving shipping professionals globally. Comparable to SISI's AIS big data platform for vessel trajectory analysis and shipping market insight, though at a more commercially accessible and consumer-oriented scale.
• Kpler: Belgium-based data and analytics platform for commodity and shipping markets, tracking vessel movements, trade flows, and freight rates. Comparable to SISI's AIS-based vessel tracking and shipping market intelligence, but commercially focused on commodity trading and supply chain decisions.

Direct peers

• Baltic Exchange: London-based source of independent shipping market information including the Baltic Dry Index, Baltic Capesize Index, and freight rate assessments. Directly comparable to SISI's Shipping Prosperity Index and freight rate/ market analysis offerings as an authoritative shipping market data publisher.
• Drewry Maritime Research: Global maritime consultancy producing shipping market reports, port research, and supply chain advisory. Closely comparable to SISI's research reports, port development reports, and consulting engagements, with stronger international brand recognition but weaker China-specific policy access.
• Clarkson Research Services: UK-based shipping intelligence and research arm of Clarkson PLC, producing the Shipping Intelligence Network, World Fleet Register, and market reports. Directly comparable to SISI in providing authoritative shipping market data, indices, and analytical reports, though operating globally as a commercial entity rather than a Chinese state-affiliated think tank.

Broad incumbents

• BIMCO: World's largest international shipping association representing shipowners, operators, and brokers. Comparable as a broader maritime industry research and policy organization with advisory influence, though primarily an association rather than a data analytics provider like SISI.

Others

• Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG): Operator of Shanghai Port, the world's busiest container port, and a core enterprise partner and customer of SISI. Comparable as part of the Chinese maritime ecosystem where SISI provides data and consulting, rather than as a direct competitor; useful as a downstream demand-side reference for SISI's port efficiency analytics.

Regional players

• China Classification Society: Chinese ship classification society and maritime technical services provider. Comparable to SISI as a domestic maritime technical authority that collaborates on port and shipping informatization research, though focused on ship classification standards rather than data analytics and policy research.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shanghai-international-shipping-institute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Shanghai International Shipping Institute