Transaction department: Shanghai Port Administrative Bureau accepts the application and does examination and approval work.
Application formalities: I. 2 Written application for Operation of Domestic Water Transport business (to download the application forms);
II. A feasibility analysis report (enterprises applying to set up ordinary freight transport between provinces along Yangtze River should submit a permit on construction preparation);
III. Business license /notice on prior approval of the name of enterprise legal person (copies);
IV. Certificate on registered capital;
V. Valid ship's certificates: certificate on ship inspection, Certificate on Ship Ownership, Certificate on Ship's Nationality (or registration certificate on bareboat charter, and temporary certificate of ship's nationality), and Certificate on Minimum Staff for Ship Safety (copies);
VI. List of institutional framework and its staffing: ID cards, qualifications and record of service, certificates from training program, qualification certificates and labor contracts of major executive personnel (copies);
VII. Description on safety precautions (those stipulated to set up safety management system should also provide "Certificate of Meeting Requirements on Safety Management System" or a "Temporary Certificate of Meeting Requirements on Safety Management System";
VIII.  Those operating passenger transport business should also provide certificates of necessary service facilities for berthing and for passengers going on board or going ashore.

Transaction procedures:
Charging standard and its basis:
Submit to:
Address: F1, No.13 Zhongshan Dongyi Road, Shanghai
Audituser:
The transaction is based on: I. "Regulations on Water Transport Management of People's Republic of China"
Article 8  Units and individuals setting up water transport enterprises, water transport service enterprises and those beyond water transport enterprises engaged in profit-making transport business are to be examined and approved by communications administrative departments in accordance with relevant prescriptions of the Regulations and overall balancing conditions of social hauling capacity and freight volume. Examination and approval methods are stipulated by Ministry of Communications.
Article 13  Communications administrative departments issue transport licenses to units and individuals approved to set up water transport enterprises or enterprises for other profit-making transport services beyond water transport; transport service licenses are to be issued to those approved to set up water transport service enterprises. 
Article 14 Units and individuals getting transport license and transport service license apply for business registration to local industry and commerce administrative departments with their licenses, and they can start their business after being verified and getting their business licenses. 
II. "Regulations on Management of Qualifications for Operation of Domestic Ship Management Business"
Article 17  Applicants for operating marine transportation should submit application materials prescribed in the Regulations to communications administrative departments in accordance with limits for examining and approving authority prescribed in "Detailed Rules of Regulations on Water Transport Management of People's Republic of China" and "Methods of Managing Examination and Approval on Provincial Water Transport Enterprises". Communications administrative departments accepting the application should verify original scripts and copies in application materials, and do an overall examination on the materials according to conditions for operation qualifications prescribed in the Regulations and to relevant regulations of the state, and then transmit to other communications administrative departments on different levels progressively.  
III. "Regulations on Water Transport Management of Shanghai"
Article 7 License system is adopted for profit-making water transport business in Shanghai.
Those to be engaged in profit-making water transport business should follow laws and regulations as well as regulations on water transport issued by the state administrative organs on water transport, and get legal qualification certificate for water transport operation, operating within authorized business scope.

Tel.: 63290077*(Ext.)2201, 2202, 2203
Website:
Time for transaction:
Monday-Friday 9:00-17:00 (excluding legal holidays)
Time limit for transaction: 20 working days from the day when the application is accepted.

Applicant qualifications: I. Having ships in correspondence with business scope, which also meet specifications in laws and regulations, and having valid ship's certificates issued by ship inspection organs.
II. Having corresponding institutional framework and professional personnel, with at least one person from senior line executives having qualification certificate for water transport business endorsed by Ministry of Communications.
III. Its major shipmen have valid certificates of competency.
For those engaged in ordinary freight transport business, their executive personnel for maritime affairs and maintenance must have certificates of competency for above Grade of chief mate or chief engineer fit for sea-going ship and riverboats managed by the applicant Those engaged in passenger transport and liquid dangerous goods transport must have at least one personnel from management holding a certificate of competency for captain or chief engineer for corresponding passenger ship and ship for dangerous goods; and personnel in charge of maritime affairs and maintenance work should have certificates of competency for captain or chief engineer fit for managed ship categories.
IV. Having fixed business ground; those operating passenger transport services should also have necessary devices for safety services and decide in advance berths of passenger ship along shipping line.
V. Having the prescribed registered capital which is in correspondence with its business scope.