On November 15, the finals of the first Large Cruise Ship Innovation and Design Competition were held in the multifunctional hall of the Qihang Activity Center at Harbin Engineering University (HEU). A team from the College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering won first prize with their work “Chengtu: Cruise Ship Interior Space Design,” and second prize went to “Dunhuang Lingjing – Cruise Deck Entertainment Space and Interactive Experience Design.” Third prize was awarded to the joint college team for “Azure Coexistence: Marine Aquarium Cruise Design,” and another team from the College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering for “Nanyang Dream: Cruise Ship Exterior Form and Livery Design.”
ZHANG Shimei, Deputy Secretary of HEU Party Committee, and ZHANG Xuehui, Deputy General Manager of Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., attended the opening ceremony and delivered addresses.
Zhang Shimei emphasized that the university adheres to its distinctive focus on the “SMON” (in short of shipbuilding industry, marine equipment, ocean exploration, and nuclear energy application) and is committed to cultivating high-quality talent and intellectual support to advance new productive forces in the shipbuilding, marine, and nuclear sectors. She noted that the competition provides a platform for young students to stimulate innovation, showcase their talents, and foster exchange. As the host, the university will leverage its strengths in naval architecture and marine engineering to fully support the event. She expressed hope that the competition would help translate creative thinking into industrial development and nurture more cruise ship design talents with international perspectives.
ZHANG Xuehui stated that Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding is dedicated to achieving strategic goals of “independent design, construction, supporting, and operation,” and is driving new breakthroughs in domestic cruise ship technology and upgrading the industrial chain. He highlighted that the competition, guided by the principle of “Gathering Youth Wisdom, Empowering the Future of Cruising,” is closely aligned with industry needs and aims to inspire innovation and deepen industry-academia-research collaboration. Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding will uphold principles of fairness, impartiality, and transparency, promote the application of outstanding creative designs, expand university-enterprise talent development pathways, and foster a synergistic ecosystem for talent growth and industrial progress.
The competition focused on innovation in functional aesthetics, green technology, and human-centered experiences in cruise ship design. Challenges were set across three categories: thematic elements and artistic design, exterior styling and livery design, and interior functional area design.
