Various themed activities were launched in East China's Shanghai on Thursday in celebration of the 20th National Maritime Day.

"The National Maritime Day has become a festival of the highest level, the widest popularity and the most comprehensive event in China's maritime sector," Wang Weiren, deputy secretary-general of the Shanghai municipal government, said during the launch ceremony of the themed activities in Shanghai.

According to Wang, Shanghai Port has held the title of the world's busiest container port for 14 consecutive years, and a growing number of shipping enterprises and institutions have made their presence in Shanghai. The city has been constantly improving its high-end shipping service functions and technologies of maritime science, shipbuilding as well as green and low-carbon are being upgraded at accelerated paces.

"As Shanghai is actively building an international shipping center in an accelerated race, it requires us to further opening-up and take stronger measures to enhance Shanghai port's infrastructure capability, high-end shipping service, intelligent and low-carbon development. We will speed up Shanghai International Shipping Center's development towards the directions of digital, intelligent and green," said Wang.

During the launch ceremony, role models in Shanghai's development into a global shipping center were presented with awards.

To better popularize knowledge and cultures of maritime, three vessels, or patrol vessel Haixun 01, pilot ship Hu Gang Yin 11 and river cruise ship Shen Cheng Zhi Guang were open to the public for free at the Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal in Hongkou district.

"This is the very first time that I bring my four-year-old son to see how impressive the ships are. I would like to bring my boy every year on this public open day in the future," said Wang Cheng, a male visitor among the first batch of visitors onboard to visit Haixun 01 this year.

The Maritime Day in China commemorated in 2005 marks the 600th anniversary of the first ocean voyage of Zheng He, the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) navigator, who made seven overseas voyages for cultural and economic exchanges with the rest of the world.