Shanghai on Friday launched its celebrations for China's National Maritime Day 2026 with a variety of public events to promote maritime culture and highlight Shanghai's rising status as a leading international shipping hub.

China celebrated its 22nd National Maritime Day on Saturday, which also marks the country's observance of World Maritime Day.
The public events in Shanghai include ship open houses, cultural and creative fairs, and special postal exhibitions, bringing maritime culture closer to communities across the city.
Relevant shipping indices showed Shanghai has risen to second place among 43 cities in global shipping competitiveness, underscoring its growing role as a leading international maritime center.
As part of the celebrations, three vessels, including the maritime patrol ship Haixun 01 and the pilot vessel Hugangyin 6, docked at the Shanghai Port international cruise terminal and opened to the public.
The open-house event attracted large numbers of visitors, who boarded the vessels to observe maritime patrol operations, port pilotage services, and sightseeing cruises up close.
Visitors also learned about navigation technologies and gained firsthand insight into the daily lives of seafarers.
"I am here because I wanted to see China's own ships. It was my first time learning that a vessel can be equipped with small devices on both sides to help maintain its balance. I found it quite impressive," said Wu Xiaoting, a visitor.