航运能够破解“一带一路”建设的金融难题？——北部湾讲坛第六讲侧记

□ 文/本刊记者 刘一颖

航运能够破解“一带一路”建设的金融难题？
——北部湾讲坛第六讲侧记

□ 文/本刊记者 刘一颖

广西壮族自治区主席陈武提出，“十三五”期间，广西要将建设北部湾区域性国际航运中心作为重点任务之一。实施港口能力提升、货运畅通、港口服务重大工程，完善集疏运体系，促进海铁等多式联运。

如今，广西北部湾经济区在做实重点园区，建立大进大出临港产业带的同时，也加快打造中国—东盟港口城市合作网络。据统计，2017年1～6月广西北部湾港完成货物吞吐量1.02亿吨，完成集装箱吞吐量超过100万标箱。目前，开通北部湾港往东盟国家的直航航线15条。但与此同时，我们也要看到广西目前的海洋经济总量和产业规模还较小，远洋船务服务、航运金融等与上海等发达的省市区相比还有很大差距。

那么如何利用优势破解难题，发展北部湾航运，建设北部湾区域性国际航运中心呢？在广西北部湾经济区和东盟开放合作办公室的邀请下，上海航运交易所党委书记、总裁张页在北部湾讲坛第六讲以“践行‘一带一路’ 打造航运强国”为主题，对此分析了案例、分享了观点、提供了借鉴。

上海航运交易所党委书记、总裁张页

北部湾讲坛

广西钦州保税港区码头

航运离大众并不遥远

“吃的粮食、开的进口汽车、买的进口奢侈品，几乎全是航运带来的，没有航运，这些都很难做到。”张页的讲授很接地气，“码头离老百姓很远，航运离老百姓也很远。”航运与大众的生活息息相关，与大众的需求严丝合缝，然而大众与航运相关产业所处位置的地理距离巨大，而且心理距离也甚是遥远，对航运的认知度和认可度极低。

怎么拉近航运与大众的距离呢？张页表示很赞赏上海将洋山港打造成旅游景点的模式。上海洋山港是一座国际化大型集装箱货运港口，规模已达到全球数一数二的水平，是中国第一座离岛港口，也是中国第一个保税港。上海洋山港打造成旅游景点后，已成为上海人周末的好去处。在那里，人们既可以出海、捕鱼、领略海洋风情，又可以观看集装箱货轮进港、出港，以及集装箱吊装的全过程……大众在游玩的过程可近距离了解到航运产业的运作。由此也能扭转平时新闻里“船只爆炸”、“油船污染”等留在大众心中负面的航运印象。

结合北部湾航运的发展，张页说道：“北部湾航运能够对广西，甚至对这个区域的GDP贡献到底是多少？这要化成老百姓听得懂的语言传播出去，让老百姓感受到航运的好处。所有地方发展产业没有老百姓的支持是不可能建立起来的。”

建设北部湾国际航运中心，可以尝试建立“东盟标准”

对于广西要建设北部湾区域国际性航运中心，张页提出，航运产业不等于航运中心。

在张页看来，建立航运中心是要建立规则的。据张页介绍，18世纪后，全球航运迎来第一个高峰，争端也随之变得频繁，不管是先付账再运货还是先运货再付账，都会出现其中一方跑单的可能。这样的情况，随着19～20世纪，伦敦成为全球航运中心而有所改变。当时，全世界90%的航运金融、航运仲裁都汇集于此，对于跑单的问题，伦敦建立了类似于今天支付宝的信用证提单制度，解决了船长和货主之间的问题。而当时伦敦建立的航运规则影响至今。

张页建议，作为面向东盟国家的北部湾经济区，不妨建立一个“东盟标准”，让北部湾国际航运中心服务好相关国家和地区。当然，打造好国际航运中心的前提是，要做大做强北部湾的航运产业，完善产业链，这样才具备影响力和吸引力。

以航运破解“一带一路”面临的3大金融难题

“一带一路”沿线国家有巨大的基建资金需求，但“一带一路”建设并不是白给的经济援助。那么中国应该通过什么渠道给予沿线国家支持？中国如果注入资金，能否再向“一带一路”沿线国家提供市场？中国应该如何利用在沿线国家获得的收益，推动合作的可持续发展？张页认为，中国进行“一带一路”建设，面临着这3大金融难题。

“这3大难题恰恰就是航运的机会。”全球约90%的贸易是通过海路运输进行的。张页谈到，设施联通是“一带一路”“五通”中重要的“一通”。第一，中国不直接援助，但可以对外投资，比如说给“一带一路”沿线国家投资建设码头，并掌控产权。第二，码头建设好后，开设航线，为当地提供市场。

在此，张页分享了“一带一路”的经典项目——中远海运收购希腊比雷埃夫斯港。中远海运2008年和希腊方面签署为期35年的特许经营权协议，并据此于2010年10月1日正式接管比港二、三号集装箱码头。2010年，比港集装箱吞吐量从2010年的88万标准箱增至336万标准箱。这为中远海运在比港的进一步发展铺平了道路。2016年4月，中远海运以3.685亿元收购港口管理局67%的股权。中远海运投资后几年来，比港集装箱吞吐量成倍增长，中远海运不止是投资建设，也对航线做了文章。“我们港口对外投资的短板在于，光想着把设施建设好，但越好越亏，所以一定要带着船公司一起去投，船公司才是帮布线的。” 张页强调，港口企业应该与航运企业联手走出去。

最后，张页拿出了第三个问题的答案——硬通货。在投资基础设施，航运布线给市场之后，得到的收益可以继续进行投资。

尽管当今世界存在逆全球化的杂音，但实际上全世界各个国家和地区的联系越来越紧密，“一带一路”倡议也广泛地受到欢迎，航运也将愈加科学地发挥其作用。

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Chen Wu, Governor of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, proposed that all parties concerned should focus on making Beibu Gulf an international shipping center in the region during the 13thFive-Year Plan period (2016-2020). Efforts should also be made to carry out such major projects as port-capacity improvement, shipment of commodities as well as port-related services, to establish a port system of collection, distribution and transportation and to provide better ocean-rail through services.

Now, Beibu Gulf Economic Zone (BGEZ) is vigorously strengthening the construction of key industrial parks and offshore industrial belts while accelerating the building of China-ASEAN Port Cities Cooperation Network. In 2017,the throughput capacity of Beibu Gulf Port reportedly added up to about 101.62 million DWTs from January to June 2017, with the container handling capacity reaching over one million TEUs. In addition, Beibu Gulf Port has opened 15 direct sea routes to ASEAN countries. However, there is a large room for Guangxi’s marine economic aggregate,ocean industry scale, ocean-shipping services and shipping finance.

How to utilize the local advantages to resolve tough issues involving the development of Beibu Gulf’s shipping industry and the building of an international shipping center in the area? At the invitation of Beibu Gulf Economic Zone& Cooperation with ASEAN Office, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, Mr. Zhang Ye, Secretary of the Party Committee of and President of Shanghai Shipping Exchange, delivered a speech themed as “Pursuing the Belt and Road Initiative; Making China a Strong Shipping Country” at the 6thBeibu Gulf Lecture Series held the other day, introducing some successful cases and presenting his own constructive advice.

Shipping: Not far away from the masses

“Without shipping, it would be very difficult for us to purchase such external goods as foodstuffs, automobiles and luxuries,” said frankly Mr. Zhang, “but, dock is something that is very far from the masses, and so is shipping.”Virtually, shipping is closely associated with people’s life.Shipping-centered industries, however, are geographically and mentally far from the masses, leading to an extremely low cognition degree of shipping.

To address this issue, Mr. Zhang highly appraised the practice of Shanghai’s Yangshan Port — building a tourist destination of port. Yangshan Port is a large international container-shipping port, with the development scale topping the list in the world, and it is China’s first offshore and bonded port. Now, the port has become an ideal place for dwellers in Shanghai for amusement on weekends: Not only can visitors go fishing on the sea and appreciate the ocean scenery, but also they can watch the specific operation of the shipping industry — drastically changing the masses’ nonobjective impression on shipping.

In accordance with the actual situation of BGEZ’s shipping industry, Mr. Zhang noted that local industries depend on the masses’ support; therefore, work should be done to make the benefits of shipping accessible to the masses.

ASEAN Standard: A worthwhile approach to creating Beibu Gulf International Shipping Center

When making Beibu Gulf International Shipping Center in the region, Mr. Zhang suggested that shipping industry is distinct from shipping center.

The key to build a shipping center is to formulate rules required. Mr. Zhang indicated that global shipping industry ushered into a golden age after the 18thcentury, followed by frequent disputes involved: As a result, whether paying the bill before shipment or otherwise, it was unavoidable that either party may choose to break his promise. Subsequently,this situation was changed to some degree, as London became the global shipping center — a place for 90% of the world’s shipping finance and arbitration — between the 19thand 20thcentury. To prevent irresponsible deals, L/C Bill of Lading, similar to the current Alipay service, was introducedto deal with the latent disputes between captains and owners of cargoes. Furthermore, the shipping rules,formulated by London, still exert their influence on the present operation.

The dock in Guangxi Qinzhou Free Trade Port Area

Mr. Zhang considered that BGEZ adjacent to ASEAN could formulate “ASEAN Standard”, so as to provide better services for countries and regions that have established business contacts with Beibu Gulf International Shipping Center. Undoubtedly, the premise for the center is that Beibu Gulf’s shipping industry must be very competitive, with a perfect industrial chain.

To solve financial issues hindering the Belt and Road construction through shipping

As for countries along the routes of the Belt and Road,there is a large demand for funds available to the infrastructure construction. Mr. Zhang noted that there are three major financial issues hindering the Belt and Road construction: What kind of channels can China use to provide funds for the countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative? Whether can China provide a market for the countries concerned after injecting funds needed? And how should China ensure a long-term stable cooperation with the countries concerned by means of benefits gained in the Belt and Road construction?

“It is these three tough issues that provide opportunities for the shipping industry,” said Mr. Zhang. Nearly 90%of the world’s trade is being conducted through sea routes. Facilities connectivity is regarded as one the five major goals of the Belt and Road Initiative. Mr. Zhang suggested that although China does not provide direct financial assistance for countries along the Belt and Road routes, it is viable to invest in them. For instance,China could choose to be one the stakeholders of docks that are financially supported by China in the Belt and Road countries; moreover, after completing docks, it is necessary to open shipping routes and provide markets for the countries concerned.

Speaking of Chinese ports’ investment abroad, Mr.Zhang stressed that Chinese port enterprises should go global together with shipping enterprises.

At last, in terms of infrastructure investment abroad,Mr. Zhang deemed it viable to continue investment after gaining benefits from launching shipping routes to the market along the routes of the Belt and Road.

Shipping: The Key to Financial Issues Hindering the Belt and Road Construction

—— The sidelights on the 6thBeibu Gulf Lecture Series

Written by Liu Yiying / Translated by Xu Zhiliang