Charting a Course for Maritime Strength, Advancing the Green Transition | SJTU Global Challenge Program Delegation Visits the UK for Exchanges

In August 2026, a delegation from Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s Global Challenge Program traveled to London, the United Kingdom, to conduct field research on “Challenges and Solutions for the Green and Low-Carbon Transition of Global Shipping under the Dual-Carbon Goals.” The delegation comprised faculty and students from the School of Ocean and Civil Engineering, the School of Media and Communication, the USC-SJTU Institute of Cultural and Creative Industry, and other schools and departments. Professor Hao Hu, Associate Professor Lei Dai, Associate Professor Zhipeng Zhang, and Research Assistant Professor Zhe Hu from the School of Ocean and Civil Engineering served as faculty advisors. The delegation visited international organizations, universities, classification societies, media organizations, and Chinese institutions operating overseas, engaging in research and exchanges on global maritime governance, green shipping, ship safety, international communication, and the cultivation of globally competent talent.

Visiting Chinese Institutions in the UK: Understanding Global Maritime Governance Through Dialogue

The delegation visited the Chinese Embassy in the UK and the Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), where it introduced SJTU’s Global Challenge Program, the International Maritime Future Technologies Innovation Centre, and the university’s efforts in international talent development. Minister Counsellor for Education Wei Zhou and Counsellor (Maritime) Hongbin Zhang of the Chinese Embassy in the UK, as well as Dabin Sun, Deputy Representative of China to the IMO, offered suggestions on China-UK educational cooperation, student placements with international organizations, and participation in international maritime rulemaking. Faculty and students gained a deeper understanding that enhancing China’s influence in global maritime governance requires not only technological strength, but also sustained accumulation in rules research, international communication, and talent development for international organizations.

Responding to Global Challenges Through Academic Dialogue: Building the “SJTU DAY” Exchange Platform

At University College London (UCL), the delegation organized an “SJTU DAY” exchange event. Professor Zhifu Mi of UCL, Chunhua Ge, Senior Principal Engineer at DNV, Jing Liang, Director of the CCS London Maritime Centre, and Wencheng Gao, a journalist with Xinhua News Agency’s London Bureau, joined the event. Participants exchanged views on climate change, energy transition, green shipping, smart shipping, and international maritime rules. SJTU faculty introduced research on green and resilient shipping and modern logistics, while young scholars and students from the two universities presented research on shipping carbon-emissions measurement, maritime search and rescue, unmanned systems, methanol bunkering, electric-vessel operations, and the IMO Net-Zero Framework. Through interdisciplinary and cross-sector discussions, the event helped connect research questions with real-world needs.

Visiting the IMO: Experiencing the Formation of International Rules and the Momentum of the Green Transition

The delegation visited the headquarters of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to learn about its organizational structure, decision-making mechanisms, and the process through which global maritime rules are formed. Michael Guy, an official with the IMO Legal Affairs and External Relations Division, and Tianbing Huang, Deputy Director of the IMO Marine Environment Division, welcomed the faculty and students and held discussions on the IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships, the Net-Zero Framework, alternative-fuel safety, and seafarer training. Tianbing Huang also delivered a special lecture on green shipping. The visit further deepened the delegation’s understanding that shipping decarbonization is not only a technological issue, but also one involving energy structures, industrial costs, and international coordination; university research can also contribute to global maritime governance through technical recommendations and international proposals.

Connecting Technology and Standards: Dialogue with International Maritime Professional Organizations

The delegation visited the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS), Lloyd’s Register (LR), and the China Classification Society (CCS) London Maritime Centre. The delegation was warmly received by senior representatives of the organizations, including IACS Secretary General Robert Ashdown and Technical Secretary Andrew Gibbins, as well as James Frew, Advisory Director at LR, and Ryan Bax, Lead Consultant, Business Advisory at LR. Discussions covered alternative fuels, onboard carbon capture, smart ships, cybersecurity, human factors engineering, and talent development, while also exploring the working mechanisms of the International Maritime Future Technologies Innovation Centre and potential cooperation in joint research and student placements. Faculty and students also held in-depth exchanges with Washington Yotto Ochieng, President of the Royal Institute of Navigation (RIN), and experts from DNV. The delegation gained a clearer understanding of the close links among technology, standards, certification, and rules.

Telling China’s Shipping Stories Well: Exploring Synergies Between Research and International Communication

At China Daily European Bureau, Xinhua News Agency’s London Bureau, and CGTN Europe, the delegation exchanged views on the international communication of green shipping. Chunya Yang, President of China Daily European Bureau; Liang Yuan, Director of the Office of Xinhua News Agency’s London Bureau; Fang Qian, Deputy General Manager of CGTN Europe; and others took part in the discussions. Participants shared experience in international reporting, agenda planning, and global communication, and agreed on the need to further connect the chain of “research and innovation - professional communication - international outreach,” transforming Chinese practices such as electric vessels and green shipping corridors into stories that international audiences can understand and are willing to engage with, so that more Chinese solutions can be seen by the world.

Connecting Industry and Finance: Observing the Real-World Needs of the Green Transition

The delegation conducted research visits to SPD Bank London Branch, the London Representative Office of the China Shipowners’ Association, and COSCO SHIPPING (UK) COMPANY LIMITED, examining the green transition of shipping from different perspectives, including green finance, market mechanisms, and corporate operations. Ge Li, President of SPD Bank London Branch; Yunze Chu, Representative of the London Representative Office of the China Shipowners’ Association; Yongxian Zhang, Deputy General Manager of COSCO SHIPHOLDINGS (UK) LIMITED; and others joined the discussions. Participants exchanged views on ESG, carbon markets, green finance, smart ships, seafarer training, and international maritime rules. The delegation also met with experts from Rabobank. Through these visits and exchanges, faculty and students came to recognize that shipping decarbonization is not a single technological choice, but a systemic transition shaped jointly by technology, rules, costs, safety, and operations.

Visiting UK Universities: Broadening International Horizons

The delegation visited the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, and University College London, while also engaging in academic exchanges with faculty members from the University of Exeter. Through campus visits and academic exchanges, participants gained first-hand insights into different universities’ educational traditions, research cultures, and interdisciplinary innovation environments.

Reading the City on Foot: Carrying Forward Red Heritage and Examining Shipping on the Thames

The delegation visited the Marx Memorial Library and Workers’ School and conducted themed learning activities along a route tracing London’s “red” history, reflecting at historical sites on the intellectual trajectory of the spread and development of Marxism. The delegation also conducted a shipping study along the River Thames, examining the relationship between port and shipping activities and urban development through the city’s spatial fabric. From the Huangpu River to the River Thames, the development practices of two international shipping centers provided young students with vivid points of reference for observing the transformation of port cities.

From international rules to technical standards, from industrial practice to international communication, the Global Challenge Program moved from books into the real world through this field study. Looking ahead, the delegation will continue to draw on its strengths in naval architecture and ocean engineering, transportation, green and low-carbon development, and smart ports and shipping; identify and investigate real-world problems on the front lines of global governance; and contribute SJTU expertise and the energy of youth to building China into a strong maritime nation and advancing the green transition of global shipping.