On 18 October, the 2026 Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Development Forum was held aboard “Adora Flora City”, China’s second domestically built large cruise ship. ZHAO Yuxin, Vice President of Harbin Engineering University (HEU), was invited to attend the forum.
Vice President ZHAO delivered a keynote speech introducing HEU’s key initiatives and distinctive achievements in building a new paradigm of “AI + naval architecture and ocean engineering” collaborative education, and shared prospects for deeper university-enterprise collaboration. He noted that amid the intelligent transformation of the ship and ocean engineering industry, universities must break down traditional disciplinary barriers and integrate artificial intelligence deeply into design innovation and the entire talent training process.
Looking ahead, the two sides will focus closely on the full-life-cycle technical chain of large cruise ships, integrate digital twins into practical teaching, and drive the development of collaborative education centres through key technology research. Through joint research on core technologies and joint cultivation of top-notch innovative talents, the two parties will jointly support the independent and high-quality development of China’s large cruise ship industry.
The 2026 Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Development Forum featured keynote speeches and thematic sharing sessions, bringing together experts and scholars from government departments, industry associations, shipowners, classification societies and leading domestic universities to discuss new challenges and opportunities for the shipbuilding industry under the evolving international landscape.
During the forum, representatives from the Comprehensive Technology and Economy Research Institute of CSSC, Lloyd’s Register, and Shanghai Lingshu Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. delivered insightful speeches on topics including digital and intelligent transformation, digitalisation, and green and sustainable development. The award ceremony and roadshow of the 2nd “Cruise is Coming” Large Cruise Innovation and Creativity Competition were also held concurrently.
