On September 28, 2025, the State Council of the People's Republic of China issued Order No. 817, publishing the Decision of the State Council on Amending the Regulations of the People's Republic of China on International Ocean Shipping. This decision was adopted at the 68th Executive Meeting of the State Council on September 12, 2025, and took effect on the date of its publication. The Regulations of the People's Republic of China on International Ocean Shipping was initially promulgated by Decree No. 335 of the State Council of the People's Republic of China on December 11, 2001, and have undergone four previous revisions.
The main amendments are as follows:
- (General Provisions) The second paragraph of Article 2 is amended to read: The auxiliary business activities related to international ocean shipping mentioned in the preceding paragraph include international ship agency, international ship management, international maritime cargo handling, international maritime cargo storage, international maritime container stations and yards, and international shipping transaction platform services.
- (International Maritime Transport and Its Auxiliary Business Activities) A new Article 22 is added: Operators of international shipping transaction platforms shall report information such as the operator's name, place of registration, contact details, platform service agreements, and shipping transaction rules to the competent transport department of the State Council. Specific measures shall be formulated by the competent transport department of the State Council.
- (Legal Liability) A new Article 39 is added: If an operator of an international shipping transaction platform fails to report the relevant information as required, the competent transport department of the State Council or the competent transport department of the local people's government authorized by it shall order it to make up the report within a specified time limit; if it fails to make up the report within the time limit, a fine of not less than RMB 20,000 but not more than RMB 100,000 shall be imposed; if the circumstances are serious, it shall be ordered to cease the relevant business.
- (Supplementary Provisions) Article 46 is renumbered as Article 48: If a country or region that has concluded or jointly participated in an international ocean shipping-related treaty or agreement with the People's Republic of China violates the provisions of the treaty or agreement, causing the People's Republic of China to lose or impair benefits enjoyed under the treaty or agreement, or hindering the achievement of the treaty or agreement's objectives, the government of the People's Republic of China has the right to demand that the government of the relevant country or region cease the aforementioned actions, take appropriate remedial measures, and may, in accordance with the relevant treaty or agreement, suspend or terminate the performance of relevant obligations. If any country or region imposes, assists, or supports discriminatory prohibitions, restrictions, or other similar measures against operators, ships, or crew members engaged in international maritime transport and its auxiliary businesses of the People's Republic of China, unless the relevant treaty or agreement can provide full and effective relief, the government of the People's Republic of China shall take necessary countermeasures based on the actual situation, including but not limited to imposing special fees on ships from that country or region calling at Chinese ports, prohibiting or restricting ships from that country or region from entering or leaving Chinese ports, and prohibiting or restricting organizations and individuals from that country or region from obtaining data and information related to China's international maritime transport and from operating international ocean shipping and its auxiliary businesses for entry into and exit from Chinese ports.
- Terminology Modification: The term competent transport department in these Regulations is modified to competent transport department.
This revision aims to meet the new demands of industry development and, by filling regulatory gaps, establishes a more comprehensive legal foundation for the orderly operation of China's international ocean shipping market.
