The School of Economics and Management（SEM） has a long history of the development in business majors, which originated from the Marine economics, Marine management and accounting majors established in the 1950s. In 1963, the economics and management majors of Wuhan Institute of water transport engineering（Wuhan University Of Technology）and Dalian Marine College (Dalian Maritime University) were merged into Shanghai Maritime Institute （Shanghai Maritime University）. In 1983, the school Supported by the ESCAP (U.N. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific) organized the graduate program，which is the earliest Sino-U.N cooperative project run by the Business School  after the implementation of China's reform and opening-up policy.In 1996, the school cooperated with the Maastricht School of Management (MSM，Netherlands） to offer MBA programs taught in English completely, which was described as the pioneer of MBA education in China.In 2002, the school became one of the first 30 EMBA (Executive Master of Business Administration) granting institutions in China, and receive AMBA certification. In 2010,  the school obtained  the right to confer the MEM（Master of Engineering Management）degree.In 2011, the school  obtained  the doctoral program of management Science and Engineering.

The School provides undergraduate and graduate education to a diverse population of students to prepare them for professional careers in business, government and nonprofit organizations. SEM is the deliverer of courses in shipping, logistics, economics and related disciplines at Shanghai Maritime University. It emphasizes excellence in teaching and learning supported by applied, pedagogical and basic research. It plays a key role in the building of the international shipping center in Shanghai, by cultivating intellectual elite and conducting related researches. Its goal is to improve the professional knowledge and skills of its students and to enhance their value to both the local and global organizations and communities in shipping, logistics and other maritime and port industries.

The School of Business and Economics develops and delivers custom-made courses and programs for a number of specific industries and organizations. It also embraces cooperation in researches and is ready to provide consultancies in related business and economics fields.