In 1961 China established a state-run maritime shipping company and subsequently signed shipping agreements with many countries, laying the foundation for developing the country's ocean transport. That organization developed into the present-day China Ocean Shipping (Group) Company (COSCO). The Chinese government also invested heavily in water transport infrastructure, constructing new ports and rebuilding and enlarging older facilities.

A major effort has also been made to increase mechanization and containerization at major international ports.

China's shipping industry and container transportation have reached international standards both in handling efficiency and building networks.

The governmental responsibility of the shipping industry is under the Ministry of Transport.

The number of container units handled by Chinese ports in 2011 reached more than 150 million. The country also manufactures 90% of the world's containers.

The throughput of cargo and containers at China's ports has been the largest in the world for the past five years, with an annual growth rate of 35%.

The development of China's shipping industry began in 1961 with the establishment of a state-run maritime shipping company. The first significant milestone occurred in September 1973, when the country received its first overseas container at Tianjin Port. This event marked the beginning of containerized shipping in China, leading to the creation of the first container berth in 1980.

During the 1990s, the industry experienced rapid growth, with China surpassing the United States in 2002 to become the world's largest handler of containers. By 2006, the country managed 5.6 billion tons of cargo and 93 million TEUs (20-foot container equivalent units). The Port of Shanghai emerged as the world's busiest port, handling 530 million tons of cargo annually.