"Vehicle Operation Engineering" is a newly-emerged multi-interdisciplinary subject，and consists of theories and technologies on the quality of Vehicle Operation, and the reliability, monitoring and maintenance of transportation vehicles. The domain of research in Shanghai Maritime University involves mainly three respects: maritime simulation and intelligent ship; maritime information process and navigation; control technology of port facilities and ships. In 1981, this subject was approved as a master program. In 2003, it was approved as a doctoral program. In 2007, it was approved as a postdoctoral program. “Vehicle Operation Engineering” was approved as the Phase II and Phase III key discipline by Shanghai Education Committee. With this discipline there are other institutes and laboratories: Transportation Ministry Key Laboratory of Marine Technology and Control Engineering, Navigation Science Research Institute, Sino-French Joint Research Institute “Galileo & Maritime ITS for Safer Seas”, International Maritime Research Center, Mulan Maritime Simulation Center, SMU&DNV International Cooperation Centre.
For the last five years, more than 300 projects have been finished under this discipline. The funding of these projects has reached to RMB 130,000,000, among them 10 national level projects and 16 provincial or municipal projects. Over 300 academic papers have been delivered, and over 100 have been included in SCI, EI and IST. Four books have been published. Other achievements include: application for patent, 75 items, and patent licensing, 27 items；Shanghai municipal prize, 5 items. Under this discipline, we have an advanced level on the following fields: maritime simulation system, safety assessment for marine traffic environment, ocean engineering, marine communication and navigation, maritime information technology, ship borne electronic equipment embodying control, test for the electronic equipments on board or at port, and power supply for container terminal facilities.
Currently, the team has 35 members, among them 11 professors, 10 associate professors, and 19 doctors. One member has got special allowance from the State Council. With a reasonable structure and comprehensive quality, the talents are able to guarantee the sustainable development of this discipline.