Marine engineering equipment is characterized by high technology, high investment, high output, high added value, and high risk; it represents an integration of advanced technologies such as advanced manufacturing, information technology, and new materials.
Marine equipment technology is evolving towards deep-water capability, larger scale, intelligence, and green sustainability. Deep-water capability addresses challenges such as oil and gas extraction at depths exceeding 3,000 to 4,000 meters. Large-scale development is exemplified by vessels such as 319,000-ton class ultra-large crude carriers (ULCCs) and 175,000-cubic-meter LNG carriers. Intelligence is applied through the use of robots to replace human workers in high-altitude or edge-based operations. Intelligent technologies are also utilized in marine monitoring and environmental remediation; for instance, the 2026 Marine Science and Technology Innovation Exhibition showcased patrol USVs (Unmanned Surface Vehicles), coastal underwater waste-clearing robots, surface waste-clearing USVs, and intelligent deep-cleaning robots for beaches, collectively forming a three-dimensional operational network spanning the seabed, water surface, and shoreline. Green initiatives incorporate low-carbon technologies such as ammonia fuel and LNG dual-fuel systems. Green development also extends to carbon capture; a prime example is the world's first 7,500-cubic-meter liquid CO2 carrier, built in Dalian in 2026, which supports the marine negative-emissions value chain by transporting captured and liquefied CO2 for subsea sequestration or recycling. The green philosophy also encompasses marine ecological protection and sustainable production-such as achieving large-scale ecological aquaculture without the need for artificial feed by constructing artificial habitats and restoring the self-sustaining capacity of marine ecosystems.
In the past, the localization rate for key auxiliary equipment in marine engineering was low, resulting in a reliance on imports. In recent years, however, breakthroughs in core technologies have significantly boosted localization rates; for example, the localization rate for auxiliary equipment at shipyards on Changxing Island has risen from less than 30% to approximately 80%.
The marine equipment industry relies on sustained R&D investment and collaboration among industry, academia, and research institutions. Nearly 20 marine research organizations have gathered on Changxing Island, pooling their efforts to tackle critical "bottleneck" technologies, alongside a concentration of various national-level laboratories and R&D platforms. This model of collaborative innovation continues to deepen in practice; for instance, the 2026 Marine Science and Technology Innovation Achievement Exhibition in Sanya-jointly participated in by 28 marine-related research institutes, universities, and enterprises-facilitated the industrialization of various cutting-edge technologies, such as unmanned patrol boats, wave gliders, and eco-friendly aquaculture techniques. Meanwhile, industrial parks like the Sanya Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City have accelerated their development, attracting over a thousand deep-sea technology enterprises and establishing capabilities spanning more than 200 types of deep-sea equipment and services.
