2. Trade association should provide diversified services for its members
2.1 Trade publicity promotion and information exchanges
For better public aware of the trade, our association has placed top priority to information exchanges. Our association has sponsored and compiled a professional monthly magazine of "China Ports & Harbours" that is worldwide published dedicating to introduction of up-to-date climate of port reform in China, exploration of academic studies and professional exchanges, collection and circulation of such information as port market, science/technology, economic and management etc. We have so far published 158 issues of this Magazine, suggesting a well-known periodical in port industry. In addition, our association has provided a semimonthly briefings of "Information and Data" to our members that is internally circulated to reveal dynamic situation in port and shipping industries. This briefing has already proven a vital channel for information exchanges. Since 1999, our association has compiled and published "Yearbook of China Ports and Habours" that is overwhelmingly welcome by all ports and harbours across the country for adequately credible contents, wide coverage and strongly practical. Currently, our association is proceeding a professional website and expected to put into service before October 1 this year, thus all our members are certainly provided with more and more valuable information.
2.2 Expend training program to meet trade needs
Personal training is one of key functions that our association provides to our members. Since setup of the organization, our association has sequently hold nearly 400 training sessions for over 16000 trainees with coverage of more than 30 subjects. Our association has licensed 20,000-odd diplomas on behalf of Ministry of Communications to train a great number of professionally-skilled persons for port management, construction and particularly for such novel business as container operation. Recent years have witnessed setup of some dedicated training and service bodies in order to meet ever-fast growth of port industry in China. There are several training bases we have so far setup in some provinces across the country in attempt to continuously expend training aspects and improve quality. The training programs are either for routine on-situ terminal management and technical operations, or for qualified practitioner of the trade entrusted by Ministry of Communications. Recent years, our association has gradually stepped into higher learning vocational training for master degree.
2.3 Focusing on application of talented professionals and provide consulting services for the industry
In order to meet demand in port construction and development, our association has always contractually accepted various consultations from governmental departments and our members to fully utilize talented professionals of our association. These consultations cover varied areas including port planning and layout, verification feasibility for terminal construction, renovation and expansion of existing port facilities, shoreline management, channel geology and enterprise management and like. Through these consulting services our association will provide our clients with objective data and reliance for facility construction and development.
2.4 Sponsor "International Port and Shipping Exhibition"
Our association has placed an important engagement to sponsor seminar, exhibition and various introduction for updated technology and products of port industry, we have consistently hold biannual event of "Marine Port China" for consecutive 9 times since 1987 with exhibitors from 20 countries and regions all over the world. During every event we have arranged professional seminars, technical workshops and business introductions. This exhibition has provided an opportunity for our members to profile their business, and a platform to learn advanced experience of their counterparts, and to practice technical exchanges.
(November 07,2005)
