english.shanghai.gov.cn reported on 28 October 2026 (source: Jiefang Daily) that Shanghai is advancing digitization across the shipping and trade chain, linking traders, carriers, port operators, logistics firms and regulators through shared data and electronic documents.
The Shipping MaaS Platform, launched in September 2024 by the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Transport and Shanghai International Port Group, aims at one-stop international container services with real-time cargo status. In 2026 nine large shipping agencies began sharing data with the port group for earlier cargo visibility. A multimodal collaborative data chain led by Shanghai now covers 13 Yangtze terminal nodes across 11 provinces and municipalities; Shanghai to Wuhan that once took 14 days can take 10 with improved links or as little as seven on scheduled services, and shifting road to water can save RMB 2,000-4,000 per container.
The blockchain-based Global Shipping Business Network brings together more than 50 partners worldwide (including COSCO Shipping Lines) and serves over 20,000 enterprises. It has cut average import cargo release from 48 hours to less than four hours and issued more than 1 million electronic bills of lading. Separately, the Chancay-Shanghai direct route (about 23 days, roughly 10 days faster than conventional sea routes) plus IoT reefer containers supported first Peruvian banana imports; from late 2024 through 1 September 2026 Shanghai Customs handled 355,000 metric tons and RMB 9.87 billion on that corridor, with cargo categories rising from 34 to 75.