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On the afternoon of January 15, 2026 Maritime Silk Road Port Cooperation Forum & Ningbo Zhoushan Port Shipping Business Promotional Seminar was held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Nearly 200 representatives from the port and shipping sectors across the Middle East and around the world gathered for the event, engaging in lively exchanges. The meeting issued a call for cooperation to Middle Eastern and international port and shipping stakeholders, focusing on connectivity and pragmatic collaboration to advance shared industry development.
Attendees and speakers included Wang Xiaojia, Counsellor, Chinese Consulate General in Dubai; Yang Xiaoguang, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Ports & Harbours Association; Ye Zhihang, Deputy General Manager of Zhejiang Seaport Group and Ningbo Zhoushan Port Group; and Salah Sharaf, Vice President of Sharaf Group. Also present were Mao Wenjin, Representative of Zhejiang Commercial Representative Office in UAE (Middle East); Marc-Oliver Hauswald, Managing Director, Wilhelmshaven Freight Village & Cotainer Terminal (Germany); Michael Davies, COO, Regional Managing Director of ESL Middle East, Emirates Shipping Line; H.E. Major Gen. (Retd.) Sharafuddin Sharaf, Vice-Chairman of Sharaf Group; Chen Yuping, CEO of COSCO SHIPPING Ports Abu Dhabi Terminal; Xu Zicao, Vice President of COSCO SHIPPING WEST ASIA LLC; Masaki Osawa, General Manager of Ocean Network Express (China) Co., Ltd.; Ashish Rajput, Managing Director, UAE Regional Head Quarter, Ocean Network Express; Saeed Bin Jarsh, Director Ports & Terminal Commercial of DP World GCC; Hussein Mahmoud, Director of International Business Development of Abu Dhabi Ports Group; representatives from global ports including Port Esbjerg (Denmark), HAROPA PORT (France), Hutchison Ports, Johor Port Authority, and Doraleh Multipurpose Port (Djibouti); executives from shipping lines such as Maersk, CMA CGM, Ocean Network Express, Pacific International Lines, Evergreen Marine, and KaWa Shipping; senior logistics executives; and representatives from domestic and international media. Participants discussed the pivotal hub role of ports in international trade, trends in green and low-carbon development, and digital and intelligent transformation, unanimously emphasizing the need for higher-level cooperation to address challenges and seize opportunities together.
Opening Remarks
Official Launch of the Ningbo Zhoushan Containerized Sailed Freight Index (Trail)
The event focused on translating outcomes into action and aligning cooperation mechanisms, delivering a number of substantive results. The Ningbo Zhoushan Containerized Sailed Freight Index (Trail) was officially launched in the Middle East. Designed to provide timely and accurate freight rate information, the index aims to effectively support global partners in tracking market trends and optimizing business decisions. Ningbo Shipping Exchange Co., Ltd. delivered a dedicated briefing on the index.
Promotion Session
Subsequently, Hong Qihu, Deputy General Manager of Ningbo Zhoushan Port Co., Ltd., presented the port’s shipping business, covering operational performance, key business segments, and major partnerships. From the perspectives of international visibility, industry influence, and guest feedback, the MPF Secretariat introduced 2026 Maritime Silk Road Port Cooperation Forum to be held later this year. Zhejiang Seaport Logistics Group Co., Ltd. showcased efficient, reliable, and innovative port services and supply-chain solutions through practical cases of Ningbo Zhoushan Port’s end-to-end logistics corridors.
Panel Discussion
During the themed salon, representatives from shipping companies and port and shipping institutions engaged in in-depth discussions on industry trends and cooperation pathways, further building consensus and expanding collaboration networks. The promotion also unveiled the Forum’s new IP, “Pop Pop,” inspired by dialogue bubbles and symbolizing borderless communication and ongoing dialogue.
Global Launch of “Pop Pop”
It is reported that the Dubai Promotional Seminar marked the first stop of the MPF’s global promotion series for 2026 and the first in-depth engagement with the Middle East. Previous stops included Singapore, London, Hamburg, and Piraeus, attracting nearly 400 international participants in total. The event extended a warm invitation to global partners to attend the MPF, to be held May 26–28, 2026, in Ningbo, Zhejiang, to discuss cooperation and pursue shared development. The 2026 forum, themed “Resilient Synergy, Shared Prosperity,” will continue to focus on industry frontiers, promote experience sharing, and—through a global perspective—build a key international exchange and cooperation platform for the port and shipping sector under the Belt and Road framework.