On October 24, the South China Sea Shipping Safety and Development Report (hereinafter referred to as the "Report") was officially released as the world's first big data-based methodology system to analyze the three elements of the South China Sea "port, route and goods" shipping, the comprehensive research results for the first time with objective and complete data revealed the actual operation of the South China Sea shipping system, in-depth analysis of the important role of South China Sea shipping in global trade, energy stability, explained the strategic significance of the South China Sea in global trade and regional cooperation.

1. The annual ship traffic volume in the South China Sea far exceeds that of other shipping areas

With an area of approximately 3.5 million square kilometers in the South China Sea, which connects the Pacific Ocean with the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea as a global strategic waterway, its shipping trend monitoring research has a profound real-world urgency and strategic value.The report focuses on the three aspects of ports, ships and critical strategic goods, mainly based on AIS data for systematic monitoring and analysis of ship activity in ports and waters in the South China Sea.

The "Report" shows that the South China Sea carries 40% of the world's ship calls and is the only channel for 34% of liquefied natural gas and 40% of crude oil shipping. Data in 2024 show that the annual ship traffic volume in the South China Sea far exceeds that of traditional shipping areas such as the Mediterranean Sea and the Caribbean Sea. It not only connects the four major economic circles of China, Japan, South Korea, ASEAN, Australia and Africa, but also carries most of China's energy imports and foreign trade goods. Its stability is directly related to the security of the global supply chain.

Jia Peng, executive editor-in-chief of the "Report", told the "Global Times" reporter that the South China Sea waters gather 29 major ports and 14 maritime routes. The routes reach all important trading zones in the world, and the transfer volume of containers, oil and gas and other goods ranks among the top in the world. The "ship density" of ports in the South China Sea is 7.5 times that of the Caribbean Sea, three times that of the Baltic Sea, and 1.5 times that of the Mediterranean Sea, demonstrating their irreplaceable nature as a "super suture line" to maintain the stability of the industrial chain in the era of globalization and fission.

"The new concept of 'the South China Sea is a super suture, a safety ballast stone and a material lifeline' put forward in this report has a very valuable reference for the international community to study and observe the South China Sea." Hu Bo, director of Peking University Marine Strategy Research Center and director of the South China Sea Strategic Situation Awareness Program, told the Global Times reporter that the stability of the South China Sea is related to global economic development, but all parties have overreacted.

¡°Data shows that although the South China Sea has long been a geo-hot spot, and the ocean disputes continue to friction, these frictions do not affect the navigation and flight of the South China Sea. China, as the biggest stakeholder and responsible majority of the situation in the South China Sea, has long attached importance toining the smooth passage of the South China Sea, and is making a growing contribution to the security and stability of the South China Sea.¡±

"This 'Report' is the world's first result based on big data research methods to systematically analyze maritime traffic in the South China Sea from the three elements of 'ports, routes and cargos'. It is objective, complete and innovative." Zhang Haiwen, former director of the Institute of Marine Development Strategies of the Ministry of Natural Resources and executive vice president of the China Society for the Law of the Sea, told the Global Times reporter that the report uses big data to objectively demonstrate the prosperity of maritime traffic in the South China Sea and proves with facts that Maritime navigation in the South China Sea is free and navigation safety in the South China Sea is guaranteed.

2. China's island and reef facilities provide important guarantees for shipping safety

In terms of ports, the report shows that from the total number of major ports around the South China Sea in 2024, the port of Singapore is leading with absolute advantage, and its annual dependence volume far exceeds China's Guangzhou port, Shenzhen port and ASEAN main ports, highlighting its "super hub" status. in China's ports, Guangzhou port, Shenzhen port, Hong Kong port with the support of the Pearl Triangle industrial cluster, forming a regional sub-hub; ASEAN ports such as Ho Chi Minh port, Bahrain port rely on manufacturing export and resource transport in the forefront.

In terms of routes, the report notes that the South China Sea route is mainly south-west-north-east, divided into east, middle and west lines, the middle line is the main international route, connecting the coast of China, Southeast Asia and important ports around the South China Sea. Several important streams around the South China Sea such as the Taiwan Strait, the Bus Strait and the Mendoza Strait constitute international shipping hubs, and the route is busy. Among them, the top ten major routes and hotspots in the South China Sea waters in 2021-2024 are respectively Swansea Port - Singapore Port, Singapore Port - Ningbo Port, Guangzhou Port - Singapore Port, Singapore Port - Singapore Port - Singapore Port, these main routes, ports and the South China Water Area's western, middle and eastern lines together

In addition, the "Report" also conducts a classified analysis of ship traffic flow. The "Report" based on AIS data analysis stated that ships from Panama, Liberia, Marshall Islands, China Hong Kong, Singapore and other countries or regions dominate. From the perspective of shipping companies, Maersk has the largest number of ships in 2021-2023, and the number of ships such as Wanhai Shipping, Mediterranean Shipping, and Yangming Shipping will increase year by year.

The South China Sea shipping industry is thriving, the ship traffic is large, the routes are intense, and has become an important global sea trade channel. The report notes that in order to ensure navigation safety, the South China Sea has established a perfect navigation management system, including ship traffic management system, automatic identification system, ship reporting system and navigation services, to effectively improve navigation efficiency and security. Among them, the South China Ministry of Transportation's South China Sea Rescue Bureau and its 12 affiliated agencies have formed an air, surface, and underwater trio of emergency rescue systems, providing fast and efficient search and rescue services, ensuring the safety of disaster ships and personnel.

It is also worth mentioning that the report objectively demonstrates the important civilian value of China's island reef facilities through the big data of ship trajectory, which is mainly reflected in the shrinking time of rescue response to the ever-heating reef and the Meiji reef, becoming a public product for the safety of international shipping.

"China has built a perfect navigation supervision and service system, covering the multi-dimensional management of ship traffic, while the South China Sea Rescue Bureau to create a modern emergency rescue system, for the safety of navigation to build a solid foundation, the South China Sea has become a global shipping 'security cradle'."The report's executive editor Zhang Hao said to the Global Times reporter, in terms of the global economic impact, the study found that the South China Sea is the global shipping "material life line", carrying a significant share of key commodity transport, and the shipping development dynamic is strong, the global influence is continuously enhanced, is an indispensable maritime artery to support the global economic operation.

The South China Sea is the vital line for safeguarding the transport of strategic goods.

In addition, the Report also focuses on monitoring and analyzing the transportation volume of important strategic materials in the South China Sea waters. The "Report" shows that the South China Sea waters, as an important international shipping channel in the world, carry cross-border transportation of bulk commodities such as oil, gas, ore and grain, and connect the world's major producing areas and consumer markets.

Among them, in terms of oil and gas transportation, the South China Sea mainly carries oil and gas resources from Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, and Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia. The importing countries are mainly China, Japan, and South Korea. China's demand is particularly prominent. It is the largest importer, with about 18 million barrels/day of crude oil and condensate transported through the South China Sea and the Gulf of Thailand every year, accounting for about 40% of the total global maritime oil transportation. Singapore Port and other ports in the South China Sea are global oil and gas transit, storage and transportation hubs, and their operational safety is crucial to the global energy supply chain. Once the South China Sea transportation corridor is blocked due to geopolitical conflicts or natural disasters, it will have a significant impact on global energy security and market stability.

Mineral transportation with Australia and Brazil as the main exporters, exports of minerals through the South China Sea to China, South Korea, Japan and other Asian countries, where China accounts for the vast majority of imports. In 2024, of the global 15.13 billion tons of iron ore shipments, China's imports accounted for eighty percent of the world. The South China Sea transportation channel is directly related to the stability of the global steel industry chain, once the interruption will cause international minerals prices to fluctuate sharply. Important ports along the South China Sea waters such as China's Defense City Port, Tsingyang Port and Malaysia's Guantanamo Port, etc., are both the main import transit stations and regional mineral trade hubs. Guaranteeing the safety of these ports and transportation channels, it is crucial for the

Grain transportation is mainly exported to American countries such as the United States, Brazil, and Argentina, and is transported to China, Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asian countries through the South China Sea to meet the growing food demand in the Asian region. About 75% of Brazilian soybean exports to China need to pass through the South China Sea. Once the channel is blocked, alternative channels will not be able to make up for the supply shortage, directly threatening the food security of China and neighboring countries. The Port of Guangzhou along the South China Sea, the Port of Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam and the Port of Singapore are important hubs in the global grain transportation network. Ensuring their smooth operation is crucial to maintaining the security of the international grain supply chain.

"The South China Sea is not only the lifeblood of regional economic development, but also a key link in the global energy, ore and food supply chain." Kuang Haibo said that from the perspective of global bulk material trade, crude oil, natural gas and soybeans transported through the South China Sea account for about 40%, 34% and 21% of the global total shipping volume respectively, showing that the South China Sea is an important guarantee of the world's energy, food and other important bulk materials transportation. lifeline. At the same time, through an analysis of the origin and destination of oil, gas, ore and grain transportation in the South China Sea, it is found that its strategic and economic impact has radiated to 67 countries and regions on six continents around the world. As the global maritime "material lifeline", the smooth flow of the South China Sea is not only directly related to the security of major energy consumers in East Asia, but also has a profound impact on global economic stability and trade pattern.

¡°Ensuring the safety and smooth operation of the South China Sea navigation route is the basis for safeguarding the security of global commodity supply and market stability.In the face of potential threats such as geopolitical risks, natural disasters, enhancing international cooperation, enhancing the security management of the passageway and port protection capabilities, is the joint responsibility to ensure the stability of the global supply chain.¡±

¡°The South China Sea is a crucial transportation channel for energy, minerals and grain.The freedom of navigation and safety of navigation in the South China Sea play an extremely important role in smooth world trade exchanges,ining and promoting the sustainable socio-economic development of countries.¡±