The second Shared Oceans Shanghai Forum 2026 was held on Thursday in Shanghai, where participants called for stronger cooperation in the international maritime community as the world continues to face disruptions in key shipping routes.
Themed "Shared Oceans: Maritime Security and Blue Prosperity," the forum, held at Shanghai Maritime University, aimed to serve as a bridge for maritime exchanges and cooperation between China and other countries, pool strengths to jointly safeguard maritime security and share blue prosperity, and inject impetus into the implementation of the vision of a maritime community with a shared future.
The event attracted scholars and experts from the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the International Maritime Law Institute of the International Maritime Organization, and domestic institutions including the Chinese Academy of Engineering, the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fudan University and the China Oceanic Development Foundation.
The event marks the seventh anniversary of the concept of building a Maritime Community with a Shared Future and focuses on maritime security amid growing global uncertainty. Participants say disruptions to key shipping routes and rising geopolitical tensions have made safe and stable maritime transport increasingly important.
Organizers say the forum aims to promote international dialogue and explore solutions for safer and more resilient ocean governance.
"This forum focuses on maritime security. As the world faces profound changes, the ocean has become an important arena for major-power competition. Recent developments, including tensions in key shipping routes such as the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, have highlighted the growing importance of maritime security," said Zhang Feng, dean of the School of Marxism under Shanghai Maritime University.
"Global shipping safety is not only a problem of the shipping industry. It's actually a problem for the whole supply chain. If shipping is not safe, then the supply chain gets disrupted, and that has a very big effect on fuel prices, food prices all over the world," said Kran De Schepper, a student at Shanghai Maritime University.
Participants engaged in discussions across a main forum and four parallel sub-forums, covering topics such as coordinated maritime development in Asia and the Pacific, maritime security and jurisprudence, blue economy practices, and national security situations.
The event also released the Global Maritime Security Situation Assessment and Outlook (2025-2026) and the Initiative on "Jointly Safeguarding Maritime Security and Building a Shared Ocean Future" to disseminate maritime visions and build consensus for cooperation.
Experts call for maritime cooperation at Shanghai forum
