航運能夠破解“一帶一路”建設(shè)的金融難題？
——北部灣講壇第六講側(cè)記

□ 文/本刊記者 劉一穎

航運能夠破解“一帶一路”建設(shè)的金融難題？
——北部灣講壇第六講側(cè)記

□ 文/本刊記者 劉一穎

廣西壯族自治區(qū)主席陳武提出，“十三五”期間，廣西要將建設(shè)北部灣區(qū)域性國際航運中心作為重點任務(wù)之一。實施港口能力提升、貨運暢通、港口服務(wù)重大工程，完善集疏運體系，促進海鐵等多式聯(lián)運。

如今，廣西北部灣經(jīng)濟區(qū)在做實重點園區(qū)，建立大進大出臨港產(chǎn)業(yè)帶的同時，也加快打造中國—東盟港口城市合作網(wǎng)絡(luò)。據(jù)統(tǒng)計，2017年1～6月廣西北部灣港完成貨物吞吐量1.02億噸，完成集裝箱吞吐量超過100萬標箱。目前，開通北部灣港往東盟國家的直航航線15條。但與此同時，我們也要看到廣西目前的海洋經(jīng)濟總量和產(chǎn)業(yè)規(guī)模還較小，遠洋船務(wù)服務(wù)、航運金融等與上海等發(fā)達的省市區(qū)相比還有很大差距。

那么如何利用優(yōu)勢破解難題，發(fā)展北部灣航運，建設(shè)北部灣區(qū)域性國際航運中心呢？在廣西北部灣經(jīng)濟區(qū)和東盟開放合作辦公室的邀請下，上海航運交易所黨委書記、總裁張頁在北部灣講壇第六講以“踐行‘一帶一路’ 打造航運強國”為主題，對此分析了案例、分享了觀點、提供了借鑒。

上海航運交易所黨委書記、總裁張頁

北部灣講壇

廣西欽州保稅港區(qū)碼頭

航運離大眾并不遙遠

“吃的糧食、開的進口汽車、買的進口奢侈品，幾乎全是航運帶來的，沒有航運，這些都很難做到?！睆堩摰闹v授很接地氣，“碼頭離老百姓很遠，航運離老百姓也很遠?！焙竭\與大眾的生活息息相關(guān)，與大眾的需求嚴絲合縫，然而大眾與航運相關(guān)產(chǎn)業(yè)所處位置的地理距離巨大，而且心理距離也甚是遙遠，對航運的認知度和認可度極低。

怎么拉近航運與大眾的距離呢？張頁表示很贊賞上海將洋山港打造成旅游景點的模式。上海洋山港是一座國際化大型集裝箱貨運港口，規(guī)模已達到全球數(shù)一數(shù)二的水平，是中國第一座離島港口，也是中國第一個保稅港。上海洋山港打造成旅游景點后，已成為上海人周末的好去處。在那里，人們既可以出海、捕魚、領(lǐng)略海洋風情，又可以觀看集裝箱貨輪進港、出港，以及集裝箱吊裝的全過程……大眾在游玩的過程可近距離了解到航運產(chǎn)業(yè)的運作。由此也能扭轉(zhuǎn)平時新聞里“船只爆炸”、“油船污染”等留在大眾心中負面的航運印象。

結(jié)合北部灣航運的發(fā)展，張頁說道：“北部灣航運能夠?qū)V西，甚至對這個區(qū)域的GDP貢獻到底是多少？這要化成老百姓聽得懂的語言傳播出去，讓老百姓感受到航運的好處。所有地方發(fā)展產(chǎn)業(yè)沒有老百姓的支持是不可能建立起來的。”

建設(shè)北部灣國際航運中心，可以嘗試建立“東盟標準”

對于廣西要建設(shè)北部灣區(qū)域國際性航運中心，張頁提出，航運產(chǎn)業(yè)不等于航運中心。

在張頁看來，建立航運中心是要建立規(guī)則的。據(jù)張頁介紹，18世紀后，全球航運迎來第一個高峰，爭端也隨之變得頻繁，不管是先付賬再運貨還是先運貨再付賬，都會出現(xiàn)其中一方跑單的可能。這樣的情況，隨著19～20世紀，倫敦成為全球航運中心而有所改變。當時，全世界90%的航運金融、航運仲裁都匯集于此，對于跑單的問題，倫敦建立了類似于今天支付寶的信用證提單制度，解決了船長和貨主之間的問題。而當時倫敦建立的航運規(guī)則影響至今。

張頁建議，作為面向東盟國家的北部灣經(jīng)濟區(qū)，不妨建立一個“東盟標準”，讓北部灣國際航運中心服務(wù)好相關(guān)國家和地區(qū)。當然，打造好國際航運中心的前提是，要做大做強北部灣的航運產(chǎn)業(yè)，完善產(chǎn)業(yè)鏈，這樣才具備影響力和吸引力。

以航運破解“一帶一路”面臨的3大金融難題

“一帶一路”沿線國家有巨大的基建資金需求，但“一帶一路”建設(shè)并不是白給的經(jīng)濟援助。那么中國應(yīng)該通過什么渠道給予沿線國家支持？中國如果注入資金，能否再向“一帶一路”沿線國家提供市場？中國應(yīng)該如何利用在沿線國家獲得的收益，推動合作的可持續(xù)發(fā)展？張頁認為，中國進行“一帶一路”建設(shè)，面臨著這3大金融難題。

“這3大難題恰恰就是航運的機會?！比蚣s90%的貿(mào)易是通過海路運輸進行的。張頁談到，設(shè)施聯(lián)通是“一帶一路”“五通”中重要的“一通”。第一，中國不直接援助，但可以對外投資，比如說給“一帶一路”沿線國家投資建設(shè)碼頭，并掌控產(chǎn)權(quán)。第二，碼頭建設(shè)好后，開設(shè)航線，為當?shù)靥峁┦袌觥?/p>

在此，張頁分享了“一帶一路”的經(jīng)典項目——中遠海運收購希臘比雷埃夫斯港。中遠海運2008年和希臘方面簽署為期35年的特許經(jīng)營權(quán)協(xié)議，并據(jù)此于2010年10月1日正式接管比港二、三號集裝箱碼頭。2010年，比港集裝箱吞吐量從2010年的88萬標準箱增至336萬標準箱。這為中遠海運在比港的進一步發(fā)展鋪平了道路。2016年4月，中遠海運以3.685億元收購港口管理局67%的股權(quán)。中遠海運投資后幾年來，比港集裝箱吞吐量成倍增長，中遠海運不止是投資建設(shè)，也對航線做了文章。“我們港口對外投資的短板在于，光想著把設(shè)施建設(shè)好，但越好越虧，所以一定要帶著船公司一起去投，船公司才是幫布線的。” 張頁強調(diào)，港口企業(yè)應(yīng)該與航運企業(yè)聯(lián)手走出去。

最后，張頁拿出了第三個問題的答案——硬通貨。在投資基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施，航運布線給市場之后，得到的收益可以繼續(xù)進行投資。

盡管當今世界存在逆全球化的雜音，但實際上全世界各個國家和地區(qū)的聯(lián)系越來越緊密，“一帶一路”倡議也廣泛地受到歡迎，航運也將愈加科學(xué)地發(fā)揮其作用。

·聯(lián)系編輯：284946458@qq.com

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