Marine trade expo spotlights Dalian's drive for excellence

BEIJING, Nov. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A report from China Daily

Dalian, a coastal city in Northeast China's Liaoning province, is riding the wave of its ocean resources to advance the local marine economy and become a blue engine for revitalization and development.

According to official data, in 2023 the city achieved a total marine economic output of 273.6 billion yuan ($38 billion), with a year-on-year increase of 6.7 percent, accounting for 31.2 percent of the regional GDP.

At last month's 2024 China (Dalian) International Marine Trade Expo, the city unveiled a steadfast commitment to advancing marine urbanization objectives and implementing a cohesive land-sea development strategy.

Paramount emphasis in Dalian's strategy is on propelling a sophisticated deep-sea evolution within the marine fisheries sector, alongside the revitalization and modernization of marine engineering equipment manufacturing and other burgeoning strategic sectors.

As a state-level international event approved by the Ministry of Commerce in the field of marine economy, this year's marine trade expo was themed "Gathering Marine Industry Chains to Boost New Quality Productive Forces", and was divided into two main events — the China International Marine Ranching and Fishery Expo and the International Shipbuilding, Marine Equipment and Offshore Engineering Exhibition for China, aka Shiptec China.

The first phase, which ran from Oct 24-26, focused on construction of marine ranches and the development of fisheries, showcasing the latest achievements in sustainable development and utilization of marine resources, as well as the vitality and green development concept of the high-quality marine economy.

At the Dalian exhibition area, rich graphic and textual materials, lively videos and interactive experiences were utilized to showcase the city's outstanding achievements in marine economy development from multiple perspectives, highlighting its leading position in the construction of marine ranches. The exhibition group from Changhai county, representing the most abundant area for Dalian's marine products, featured more than 20 high-quality local businesses such as Zhangzidao, Haiyangdao and Zhuangyuanhai, which are well-known fishery brands.

According to organizers, the expo attracted nearly 1,000 exhibitors from more than 10 countries, including Japan, South Korea, Russia, the United Kingdom, Norway, the United States, Denmark, Sweden and France.

Additionally, at the 16^th Shiptec China held on Oct 30-Nov 1, which was the second phase of the 2024 China (Dalian) International Marine Trade Expo, heavyweight marine equipment was highlighted.

To promote the maritime industry's high-quality development, Shiptec China included a series of forums and events. Over 20 activities covered such diverse topics as the marine engineering industry chain, ship equipment innovation and development, shipping services, maritime arbitration and business matchmaking.

Organizers said they received inquiries from buyer and visitor groups from both domestic and international origins, including Russia, Turkmenistan, Spain, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, and various provinces and cities in China to attend and explore opportunities at the expo. Significant resources toward inviting and accommodating professional buyers resulted in more than 30,000 buyer registrations for this year's expo.

As a maritime powerhouse, Dalian now boasts 32 national-level demonstration areas for marine ranching, accounting for the largest number and scale in the country. In 2023, Dalian's Liaoyu national offshore fishery base was approved to be the fifth of its kind in China, according to the the city's ocean development bureau.

Dalian has a rich shipbuilding and offshore equipment manufacturing history. It stands as a key manufacturing base for high-end ships and offshore equipment in northern China. The local petrochemical industry is rapidly growing, notably with Changxing Island listed among the top 30 national chemical industry parks, while the city's stature as a shipping center in Northeast Asia is on the rise, with container throughput surpassing 5 million twenty-foot equivalent units.

In order to promote high-quality development of the marine economy, accelerate construction of a strong marine city and make new breakthroughs, Dalian is expediting development of a new blueprint for the marine industry. The city formulated and issued a three-year action plan (2022-24) to clarify development goals and identify key tasks, and its 14th Five-Year Plan for marine economy development and pre-fabricated vegetable industry development has been completed.

Currently, the city is formulating the Development Plan of Dalian's Modern Marine City and the Overall Plan for Dalian's Construction of a Modern Marine City in order to accelerate cultivation and development of new quality productive forces in the marine field.

Dalian's marine industry has a complete range of categories, including 26 out of the 28 subdivided industries in the five major categories of the marine economy, and 13 out of the 15 main marine industries. Many traditional industries also have advantages in this field, according to the city's ocean development bureau.

According to the bureau, Dalian is determined to take its marine industry to the next level, with a comprehensive range of initiatives focused on new technology, traditional industries and modern services. As a result of its sustained effort, the city is poised to achieve impressive growth in a number of key areas.

In 2023, Dalian's marine emerging industry's output value accounted for 10.4 percent of the total marine industry output value, and marine engineering and biotechnology sectors achieved robust growth of 12.6 percent and 9 percent respectively.

As part of its strategy, Dalian is upgrading its traditional marine industries by investing in modern marine ranches and high-tech shipbuilding, while supporting the integration of marine culture and tourism to enhance the industry's overall competitiveness.