On August 12th, the 12th National Marine Vehicle Design and Production Competition, along with the 2nd World University Underwater Robot Competition (WUURC 2023), commenced simultaneously at Harbin Engineering University. Experts and scholars specializing in marine equipment from China, along with more than 3000 teachers and students from 9 countries worldwide, witnessed the dynamic force of innovation in marine technology. The collision of fresh inspiration and novel ideas showcased the vibrant potential of this field.
During the opening ceremony, attendees included LI Changyin, Chairman of the China Shipbuilding Engineering Society and Director of the Competition Organizing Committee, as well as YAO Yu, President of Harbin Engineering University, among others. WANG Junli, Secretary General of the China Shipbuilding Engineering Society, took charge of presiding over the commencement event.
YAO Yu delivered a warm welcoming address, emphasizing that the 12th National Marine Vehicle Design and Production Competition holds a position of paramount influence within the realm of marine equipment technological innovation. Concurrently, as part of the China-Russia Digital Summit Forum series, the 2nd World University Underwater Robot Competition is dedicated to constructing a platform where young Chinese and international students can mutually share their pioneering concepts in underwater robot innovation. YAO Yu expressed his aspiration for participating educators and students to engage in profound idea exchange, fostering fresh inspiration through these two competitions. He highlighted that the convergence and interplay of novel technologies have ignited a surge of innovative ideas and elevated the caliber of submissions, thereby advancing the domain of marine technology.
During his address, LI Guoan articulated that the competition upholds the principles of promoting scientific awareness, hands-on learning, resolute innovation, ocean-centric focus, and national defense service. Its dedication lies in fortifying college students' grasp of national defense concepts and their awareness, while guiding them to instill an ethos of exploration, ingenuity, and industriousness. The competition has proven instrumental in fostering scientific and technological innovation and nurturing talent among college students. Notably, this edition of the competition has achieved unprecedented participation rates in terms of units, submissions, and individuals involved.
Simultaneously, this competition marks a significant milestone as it joins forces for the first time with the World University Underwater Robot Competition, representing a valuable stride towards internationalization. Given the current pivotal phase in the strategic opportunities for maritime dominance, it is our aspiration that budding scholars within the navigation sphere seize this unique juncture for comprehensive interaction, discourse, and knowledge exchange with experts and scholars. This platform offers them the chance to exhibit their distinctive flair on the field, showcase their competencies, and ultimately vie for championship glory.
LI Changyin, Chairman of the China Shipbuilding Engineering Society, announced the opening of the competition.
This competition has garnered the attention of more than 300 universities and research institutes, along with exceeding 2000 teams, encompassing a student body of over 10,000 individuals. The competition centers on seven prominent categories of projects: innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship; design and production; smart ships and ocean engineering technology; simulation production of renowned ship models; ship model racing; sailboat model racing; and an ocean knowledge competition.
Following two days of rigorous competition, Harbin Engineering University secured a remarkable tally of 10 special prizes, 14 first prizes, and 18 second prizes across both the 12th National Marine Vehicle Design and Production Competition and the 2nd World University Underwater Robot Competition.
