China has established its first international ship registry in Hainan province, aiming to further develop the island into a free trade port.

The Hainan International Ship Registration Administration, launched in Yangpu, Danzhou, on Friday, is responsible for the registration, quality management, inspection, flag state services, and policy research for vessels flagged under the China Yangpu Port registry. The administration is a division of the Hainan Maritime Safety Administration of the Ministry of Transport.

Cai Yinghong, the new administration's inaugural director, said the administration will operate under the principles of "convenient service, standardized management, and internationalized development", aiming to provide efficient, convenient, and high-quality registration services to both domestic and international vessels.

Since the release of the Hainan Free Trade Port Overall Plan in 2020, the maritime sector has implemented reforms and innovations in international ship registration, including introducing the Hainan Free Trade Port International Shipping Regulations and the Hainan Free Trade Port International Ship Registration Procedures. These initiatives have attracted nearly 700 new shipping entities to Hainan and facilitated the registration or transfer of 47 vessels under the China Yangpu Port flag, adding 5.33 million deadweight tonnage of international shipping capacity, which places Hainan among the leading provinces in China for shipping capacity growth, according to the Hainan Maritime Safety Administration.