A report by China’s Supreme People’s Court reveals that the country has developed the most comprehensive maritime judicial system in the world, handling the largest number and widest range of maritime cases globally.
The report on maritime trials conducted by Chinese courts was submitted on Sunday for review during a session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s top legislative body.
According to the report, China established its first group of maritime courts following a decision adopted by the NPC Standing Committee in November 1984. Over the past four decades, the country has set up 11 interregional maritime courts and 42 detached tribunals.
The report notes that both the number and scope of maritime cases have expanded significantly during this period — rising from only 18 cases in 1984 to 34,400 in 2024. The types of disputes have also diversified, moving beyond traditional maritime trade and transport issues to include marine resource exploitation, environmental protection, port construction, and marine-related cultural and tourism industries.
China has also played a key role in shaping international maritime law. The Beijing Convention on the Judicial Sale of Ships, which originated from China’s judicial practices, became the first international maritime convention adopted by the United Nations General Assembly to bear the name of a Chinese city, according to the report.
