From February 7 to 14, a delegation led by Song Baoru, Chairman of Shanghai Maritime University (SMU) Council, visited Egypt and Italy upon invitation. The delegation attended the 15th International Maritime Transport and Logistics Conference (Marlog 15) held in Alexandria, Egypt, and successively visited institutions including the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT) , the University of Genoa (UniGe) in Italy, the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization (ITCILO) in Italy, and the Registro Italiano Navale (RINA) .
The 15th International Maritime Transport and Logistics Conference, focusing on the theme"Smart & Resilient Logistics Corridors: Future Gateway to the Green Trade", brought together hundreds of high-ranking government officials, experts, and scholars from China, Egypt, Italy, Greece, and other nations. The delegation participated in the conference's agenda, visited the 2026 International Maritime Technology Exhibition, and observed innovative achievements in areas such as the Suez Canal simulation model, maritime virtual reality, renewable energy, and ship design. On the sidelines of the conference, they held extensive meetings with high-level leaders, including Deputy Governor of Alexandria Governorate Mohamed Salah, Secretary-General of the Arab Sea Ports Federation Essam El Din Badawy and Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority Admiral Osama Rabie. Yang Yi, Chinese Consul General in Alexandria, emphasized that maritime education cooperation is a vital component of the China-Egypt strategic partnership with broad prospects, pledging full support from the Consulate General. Song Baoru stated that Shanghai Maritime University is willing to leverage its various advantages to promote the development of the Arab shipping industry.
On February 9, the delegation participated in the "Sino-Arab Cooperation Day: A Successful Model of Institutional Collaboration" event and met with leaders of the AASTMT, including its President, Ismail Abdel Ghafar. They extended a warm welcome to the delegation. President Abdel Ghafar noted that the mutual visits and deepening strategic cooperation within a short period underscore the firm commitment of both China and the Arab states to collaborative innovation and shared development under the "Belt and Road" Initiative. Mr. Song Baoru pointed out that higher maritime education bears significant responsibility in talent cultivation, technological innovation, and international dialogue, and that the two universities should further expand cooperation based on their friendly relations to build a solid bridge connecting China-Egypt friendship. The delegation inspected facilities such as navigation simulators, a planetarium, maritime communication equipment, and water training stations. They engaged in extensive discussions with heads from the College of Maritime Transport and Technology and the College of International Transport and Logistics on topics including mutual visits and exchanges for faculty and students, joint cultivation of high-level talents, and scientific research collaboration.
At the University of Genoa in Italy, the delegation was received by university leaders, including Rector Federico Delfino. Both parties reached a high level of consensus on jointly establishing a Sino-European Cruise Management College and deepening joint master's and doctoral training programs, focusing on two core disciplines: "Maritime Logistics & Nautical Sciences" and "Tourism Sciences." Mr. Song Baoru noted the similarity in the maritime shipping disciplines of the two universities, suggesting future pragmatic cooperation in more areas and through various methods to enhance the level of internationalized education. The delegation also held a cordial meeting with doctoral students at the university's Maritime Research Center, introducing Shanghai Maritime University's history, disciplinary features, and extending a sincere invitation to young Italian scholars for exchanges and visits.
At the International Training Centre of the ILO (ITCILO), the delegation held talks with Andreas Klemmer, Director of the Training, and Monica Canepa, head of Maritime Training Programme. They conducted in-depth exchanges on high-level international maritime training programs and the work of international organizations, and also toured the Centre's Innovation Lab.
At the Registro Italiano Navale (RINA) , the delegation was received by CEO Carlo Luzzato and Giosuè Vezzuto, Executive Vice President of the Maritime Business, and held discussions with heads of the Strategy & Innovation, R&D, and Human Resources departments. Extensive exchanges took place on cutting-edge topics such as green shipping, digital transformation, cruise ship technology, and the cultivation of high-quality maritime talents. Song Baoru stated that in the face of three major challenges in the shipping industry—technological change, regulatory evolution, and safety assurance—the University is willing to deepen industry-university-research cooperation with RINA in areas like green energy application, digital transformation, and high-quality talent cultivation.
This visit further strengthened the University's connections with the North African and Southern European shipping industries, expanded its cooperation network in the Arab region and along the Mediterranean coast in the maritime field, and reached a series of strategically significant cooperation consensuses. It injected new momentum into enhancing academic discipline development, innovating maritime talent cultivation models, introducing overseas talents, and bolstering international scientific research synergy. This constitutes a pragmatic measure serving the "Belt and Road" Initiative and the construction of Shanghai International Shipping Center, while also laying a solid foundation for further promoting the internationalization of global maritime education.
