On August 2, the Innovation Development Conference on Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering, alongside the Harbin Engineering University (HEU) Alumni Entrepreneurs’ Nantong Forum, was successfully held in Nantong. The event marked the inauguration of the HEU Alumni Marine Equipment Innovation Center and the HEU Technology Transfer Center, Nantong Branch. HEU President SONG Yingdong delivered the opening address, joined by Vice President HAN Duanfeng, Assistant President CHEN Hailong, Nantong Mayor ZHANG Tong, and Vice Mayors XIONG Jun and LING Yi.
Jointly organized by HEU and the Nantong Municipal Government, the summit gathered global alumni leaders in shipbuilding and marine engineering together with local industry pioneers. Discussions centered on fostering deeper integration of technological and industrial innovation, with the goal of developing a world-class shipbuilding and offshore engineering cluster.
President SONG Yingdong underscored that the newly established centers, along with the Alumni Association of the College of Shipbuilding Engineering, are designed to build a collaborative innovation system that leverages disciplinary expertise, university–regional–alumni resources, and alumni networks. He called on alumni worldwide to engage in high-impact platforms, strengthen industrial supply chains, and cultivate top-tier talent to support China’s maritime power strategy.
Mayor ZHANG Tong emphasized Nantong’s commitment to transforming its geographic advantages and marine resources into momentum for global industrial advancement. She expressed the city’s strong interest in expanding cooperation with HEU in cutting-edge R&D, high-level talent cultivation, and resource integration to drive the growth of China’s marine industry.
During the event, eight alumni enterprises and eight leading companies from the shipbuilding and marine engineering sector signed cooperation agreements with HEU’s Yangtze River Delta Advanced Research Institute.
Senior representatives from HEU’s Research Administration, Asset Management Company, Development Liaison Office, College of Shipbuilding Engineering, and the Yangtze River Delta Institute also attended the summit.
