On July 9th and 10th, the Shandong Maritime Safety Administration and the Shandong Seafarers Trade Union Committee jointly hosted the 2026 Shandong Maritime Traffic Safety Vocational Skills Competition in Qingdao, specifically focused on auditing skills for shipping company safety management systems.
This event marks the first time such a competition has been held in Shandong Province. With the theme "Skills Revitalize Shandong, Auditing Safeguards the Seas," it aims to thoroughly implement the deployment requirements of the three-year action plan for addressing root causes of safety issues, as outlined by the Ministry of Transport, the Shandong Provincial Party Committee and Government, and the Maritime Safety Administration. The goal is to promote the comprehensive implementation of primary responsibility for production safety among shipping enterprises and enhance the overall quality and professional skills of maritime industry personnel.
Simultaneously, the competition was organized to commemorate China's 22nd National Maritime Day. Fourteen teams comprising 42 contestants participated, representing maritime management and ship inspection agencies from seven coastal cities in Shandong, as well as five shipping companies including Yantai Bohai Ferry, Weihai Haida Passenger Transport, Qingdao Ocean Hua Lin, Qingdao Intercontinental Star, and Shandong Tongda International.
Five industry experts, including Li Nengbin, Director of the Quality System Audit Research Office at the Water Transport Research Institute of the Ministry of Transport, served as judges for the competition. Liu Jianxiong, a member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the Shandong Maritime Safety Administration, and Wu Yuchuan, Chairman of the Shandong Seafarers Trade Union Committee, attended the event and delivered speeches.
Over 100 safety management personnel and senior crew members from shipping enterprises such as Shandong Shihua Maritime Technology Co., Ltd., Qingdao Marine Tourism Development Co., Ltd., and Qingdao New Hailian Crew Training Co., Ltd. were present to observe the competition.
This competition is a significant event listed among the 2026 provincial vocational skills competition special events announced by the Shandong Provincial Department of Human Resources and Social Security. The competition's content was designed based on international conventions and rules such as the International Safety Management (ISM) Code, domestic laws and regulations including the Maritime Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China and the Regulations on the Safety and Pollution Prevention Management of Shipping Companies of the People's Republic of China, as well as relevant guidelines and documents from the Maritime Safety Administration, such as the "One Guideline, Six Instructions."
The focus was on assessing participants' understanding and mastery of relevant laws, regulations, and policy documents, as well as their practical skills in auditing shipping company safety management system documents and activities. The ISM Code serves as the cornerstone of modern maritime safety, with the Safety Management System being its core vehicle and a solid guarantee for the safe operation of shipping enterprises.
Auditing work acts as a "touchstone" for testing the operational effectiveness of a shipping company's safety management system and a "booster" for promoting the full implementation of primary responsibility for production safety. Auditors function as "health inspectors" for shipping company safety management and "gatekeepers" of the maritime traffic safety防线, with their professional competence and skills directly impacting vessel navigation safety and the well-being of countless seafarers.
This competition represents a comprehensive test of the professional capabilities of the province's auditor workforce and a concrete practice in deepening government-enterprise exchanges and promoting mutual learning. The event is expected to further motivate auditors to pursue excellence and meticulous work, advancing the development of a knowledgeable, skilled, innovative, high-quality, and professional workforce.
This will provide solid talent support for the high-quality development of the province's shipping industry and play a positive role in accelerating the construction of Shandong as a strong maritime province, a strong shipping province, and a demonstration zone for building China into a country with strong transportation network. On January 29th of this year, the nation's first practical training base for shipping company safety management system auditing was inaugurated and put into use in Qingdao. It was jointly established by the Shandong Maritime Safety Administration, the China Classification Society Qingdao Branch, and the Intercontinental Shipping Group. This competition also serves as an important practical test of the talent cultivation system at this base.
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