Dalian's marine economy achievements, strategic expansion

Updated: 2026-06-04

At the 2026 Summer Davos Forum, Dalian showcased impressive progress in its marine industry, with notable advances in shipbuilding, hydrogen energy, and aquaculture.

The shipbuilding and offshore engineering sector surpassed 80 billion yuan ($11.11 billion) in output value, establishing Dalian as a hub for high-end marine equipment. The city holds 17 orders for liquefied natural gas carriers, ranking among the global leaders in the sector. Major achievements include the delivery of the world’s first methanol dual-fuel very large cargo carrier and a 7,500-cubic-meter liquid CO₂ carrier, breaking multiple foreign technology monopolies. Additionally, a large marine wind-assisted propulsion system delivered fuel savings of up to 25 percent and received certifications from leading global classification societies.

In hydrogen energy development, Changxing Island is being built as the Northeast Asia Hydrogen-Based Energy Center. The "Antaiyuan" hydrogen energy transport vessel has been commissioned, serving as a key node in the "North-to-South Methanol Transport" strategy.

The city is advancing projects in green hydrogen and green ammonia, supported by terminals, tank farms, and railway pipelines. Dalian has achieved breakthroughs in seawater electrolysis for hydrogen production and developed a high-efficiency integrated hydrogen production and refueling system, with energy consumption below 4.1 kilowatt-hour per cu m.

In aquaculture, Dalian's total seafood output reached 2.87 million metric tons in 2025, valued at 49.73 billion yuan. Over 3,300 hectares of nearshore aquaculture have been relocated offshore, supported by large deep-sea net pens and marine ranches. The city's sea cucumber industry alone has exceeded 30 billion yuan, backed by a national-level germplasm resource base and the introduction of an e-commerce-specific sea cucumber standard. Dalian also pioneered the sale of marine environmental data, generating 600,000 yuan from its first transaction and saving enterprises 50 million yuan annually.