Abstract: Based on the processed data of the ambient noise measured with ASIEX 2001 in the South China Sea, the noise power spectral density and vertical directivity are calculated and the spatial correlation of ambient noise in shallow sea influenced by ship-radiated noise is studied. Results show that when the ships are far away from the receivers (>10km), the ship-radiated noise increases the spatial correlation of the environment noise below 500Hz and have no effect on the spatial correlation of the environment noise above 500Hz. When the ships are near the receivers (≤10km), the ship-radiated noise causes the oscillation of spatial correlation of the environment noise below 500Hz. The noise spatial correlation curve shows the first zero point when the acoustic path of the noise signal differs by a quarter wavelength, The energy of the noise increases when the environment noise is below 500Hz. Based on the existing theory, this paper discusses the acoustic characteristics of the noise field produced by ships far away from receivers and noise field in close range, and makes a reasonable explanation of the spatial correlation of two ambient noise fields．