Sub-Forum on Marine Science, Maritime Industries of GSF held

The Sub-Forum on Marine Science and Maritime Industries of the Greater Bay Area Science Forum (GSF) was held in Nansha, Guangzhou province on Dec 6. Focusing on key areas including marine security and deep-sea strategic resource development, the sub-forum discussed issues related to the coordinated development of marine resource exploitation and ecological protection, and built a dialogue platform for the integration of science, technology and industry.

On-site of the Sub-Forum on Marine Science and Maritime Industries, Greater Bay Area Science Forum (GSF). [Photo/WeChat account: GSFofficial]

Co-organized by the governments of Guangdong province, the Hong Kong special administrative region, and the Macao special administrative region, the 2025 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Marine Development Forum (GSF) was held from Dec 6 to 8 across the three regions.

The sub-forum brought together eight academicians from China and abroad, along with more than 300 experts and scholars from over 30 institutions. Participants came from scientific research organizations, universities, and industrial sectors, including the Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey.

During the forum, Beijing Normal University (BNU) and the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou) signed an agreement to jointly establish the Future Ocean College. The event featured forward-looking speeches by academicians, scientific presentations highlighting cutting-edge achievements, and industry reports centered on practical applications. A roundtable discussion under the theme "R&D and Manufacturing of Deep-Sea Intelligent Equipment" also provided new insights for the development of a related concept verification center.

Beijing Normal University (BNU) and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou) sign a cooperation agreement and take a group photo together. [Photo/WeChat account: GSFofficial]

The Guangzhou Laboratory announced significant progress in its scientific research progress: the "Haiqiang 600" deep-sea sampling system, developed under its leadership, is capable of conducting long-distance observation and single-point sampling of up to 600 kilograms. Meanwhile, the "Haiqiang 7000" deep-sea remotely operated vehicle (ROV) has completed sea trials at a depth of 7,000 meters, breaking long-standing foreign monopolies in this field and achieving world-leading technological capabilities. Moreover, the laboratory has spearheaded two major scientific programs aligned with the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, both of which have received official approval.