The Pudong New District of Shanghai, which specializes in shipping, finance, the law, and other professional services, has reported a good turnover in its shipping service sector over the past year, with value added totaling 10.1 billion yuan ($15.2 billion), up 13.4 percent year-on-year.

Shipping services can, to some extent, be regarded as a sign of a city's competitiveness and development potential in shipping industry, and their growth can help a city become a global shipping center and Pudong authorities say they have come up with preferential policies to ensure that growth.

Shipping-related financial leasing is one example of this, with guidelines that promote its development by calling for stronger support, and helping to bring in 1,000 new financial leasing companies in 2015, which will in turn drive both shipping and shipping service industries.

Nonetheless, experts say that the authorities still need to pay more attention to the shipping service industry, despite its current good status.