SMU presently consists of the following colleges, among others: Merchant Marine College, College of Transport and Communications, School of Economics & Management, College of Logistics Engineering (Sino-Dutch Mechanical and Electronic Engineering College), Law School, College of Information Engineering, College of Foreign Languages, College of Ocean Science and Engineering, College of Arts and Sciences, Scientific Research Academy. SMU boasts one state-level key discipline (Transport Planning and Management), five state-level specialties with special features, nine ministerial or municipal key disciplines, and 17 Shanghai municipal “educational heights”. Moreover, SMU owns a Water Training Center, a 10,000-ton training vessel, and a newly-built bulk-cargo vessel of 48,000 tons, which came into service in 2012. SMU graduates are employed in shipping companies, port enterprises and government institutions. SMU has been deservedly honored as a “cradle of international shipping specialists”.

SMU has always attached much importance to exchange and cooperation with overseas academies, institutions and industry companies, and has established close ties with over 70 institutions in aspects of teacher communication, joint school-running, scientific research cooperation, student exchange etc. Approved by the Education Ministry of China in 2011, the Bachelor of Science program in “Logistics Management”, offered by Shanghai Maritime University in collaboration with Regional Maritime University, was a pioneering program among Shanghai universities in awarding Chinese bachelor’s degrees to overseas students.  The course is open to applicants from Central and West Africa. Since 2012, SMU has been approved to accept Chinese Government Scholarship students, which will be conducive to promoting the internationalization of SMU.

The degree programs, especially international students’ programs in some key disciplines are distinguished in SMU. Now international students are enrolled in all levels of degree education including undergraduate, graduate, PhD, and short–term professional education. Aside from regular international education programs for undergraduate, graduate and PhD students, other special programs including student exchange programs, professional training programs and language training program and overseas education programs are also conducted in SMU.