Higher-Caliber Exhibitors, Enhanced Brand Impact
World Maritime Equipment Conference 2024 concluded
The World Maritime Equipment Conference 2024 concluded on November 18 in Fuzhou, Fujian. This year’s conference yielded fruitful results, marked by improvements in the caliber of participants, exhibitors, showcased products, industry matchmaking, brand impact, and media coverage. The event has played a significant role in nurturing new quality productive forces in the marine sector, driving the high-quality development of the marine economy, enhancing connectivity, and building the maritime community with a shared future.
Parents and children explore the Expo together.
The event saw enthusiastic participation from guests at home and abroad. A total of 796 attendees were present, including 157 representatives from domestic government bodies, 46 from foreign governments, 25 consular officials, 81 experts and scholars, 327 business representatives, 111 industry association members, and 49 representatives from overseas Chinese communities. Among them, 73 were distinguished guests, including 9 domestic officials at or above the vice-ministerial level, 6 academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering, and 5 from foreign national academies. Attendees represented 52 countries and regions, reflecting notable progress from last year’s 47.
Exhibitor quality continues to improve. The 2nd China Maritime Equipment Expo 2024 brought together 752 top-tier exhibitors from 27 countries and regions, representing an increase of 37 exhibitors or a 5.2% year-on-year growth compared to the previous edition. Notable participants included Shell, the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), Registro Italiano Navale (RINA), China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), CATL, BYD, China Three Gorges Corporation, Dongfang Electric, Nanjing Steel Group, Beijing New Building Materials Group Co., Ltd., Hudong Zhonghua Shipbuilding (Group) Co., Ltd., Fujian Shipbuilding Industry Group Corporation, Ningde Future, Shenhao Technology Co., Ltd., XCMG, YUCHAI CYNLAND HYENTECH, CHINALCO, Boya Gongdao (Beijing) Robot Technology Co., Ltd., the China Classification Society (CCS), Harbin Engineering University, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The exhibits are innovative and diverse. The 2nd China Maritime Equipment Expo 2024 featured 15 indoor exhibition zones, including the China Shipbuilding Pavilion, Fujian Pavilion, Smart Technology Equipment Exhibition Zone, Central SOEs and International Brands Exhibition Zone, Green Power Technology Exhibition Zone, and Advanced Shipbuilding Exhibition Zone, as well as an outdoor yacht exhibition area. Over 7,000 cutting-edge products were showcased, such as oil and gas exploration equipment, alternative ship fuels, next-generation marine propulsion systems, new hull materials, underwater communication technologies, underwater robots, ship IoT solutions, and smart ocean systems. The event provided global professional visitors with an impressive display of industry-leading innovations and an exceptional product experience.
Foreign business representatives learn about underwater robots.
Industry matchmaking activities deliver practical and efficient results. At the Fujian Provincial Marine Economic Industry Cooperation, Innovation and Development Conference, 178 projects were successfully matched and signed, an increase of 8 projects compared to the previous year, with a total investment exceeding 170 billion RMB. Among these, 50 projects were signed during the centralized signing ceremony, representing a total investment of 95 billion RMB. Fuzhou alone facilitated 88 signed projects, with a total investment surpassing 110 billion RMB, including 15 centralized signing projects, one more than the previous year, totaling over 58 billion RMB.
The brand impact is more prominent. During the conference, the 2nd China Maritime Equipment Expo 2024 hosted over 30 professional forums, matchmaking sessions, and a series of educational and experiential activities. More than 200 industry experts and corporate elites gathered to discuss key topics such as sustainable development in the shipbuilding industry, innovation in marine cultural tourism, maritime network security, intelligent ocean industry development, green marine materials, energy management in shipbuilding, lean management in the shipbuilding sector, shipbuilding intellectual property, and new technologies and materials for ship painting and welding. The event attracted nearly 35,000 professional visitors at home and abroad, with a total attendance exceeding 220,000. Transactions and agreements signed over its four-day duration reached 48 billion RMB, with intended deals amounting to 20 billion RMB. Highlights included Fujian Li Xin Ship Engineering Co., Ltd. signing a letter of intent with Green Era Shipping Ltd. to construct six 4,300 DWT and six 5,300 DWT bulk carriers. The 2024 CSSC Modern Supply Chain Conference saw cooperative agreements totaling 17.7 billion RMB. Additionally, the event featured online lotteries for visits to the Research Vessel KEXUE and the China Marine Surveillance 8001 patrol ship, with over 100,000 online applicants and approximately 7,600 in-person attendees.
The World Maritime Equipment Conference 2024 received official coverage from prominent international and domestic media outlets, including AFP, PR Newswire, Associated Press, China Media Group, People’s Daily, Xinhua News Agency, China Daily, Economic Daily, China.org.cn, China Ship News, China Ship Survey Magazine, eworldship.com, and shipoe360.com, among others. (Reporter: Jiang Hai / Text, Chi Yuan / Photography)
