On November 16th and 17th, 2021, The 5th International Conference for Innovation and Cooperation in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering (ICNAME 2021) & the 1st International High-level Forum on Smart and Autonomous Navigation Technology of Ships successfully held at Harbin Engineering University. The conference was organized by China Shipbuilding Association, Marinette Marine Industry Center, ICNAME, and jointly organized by Harbin Engineering University, and Russian University of Transport, Wuhan University of Technology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Satakunta University of Applied Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology and Seoul University.

Famous experts and scholars from 95 well-known universities, research institutes and enterprises of 15 countries including China, Russia, France, Norway, Japan, South Korea and Singapore participated in the conference through both online and offline.

The conference focused on the in-depth exchange of smart ship, autonomous ship and green ship technology, explored advanced innovative technologies such as intelligent, unmanned, digitized and low-carbon ship. Three universities jointly launched the initiative to establish “International Joint Laboratory of Ship Intelligence and Autonomous Navigation Technology”. It deepens global cooperation in ship and marine engineering, and promotes scientific and technological progress in the field of international marine technology.

Gao Yan, Chairman of the University Council of Harbin Engineering University, Alexander Pinskiy, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors of the Marinette Industry Center in Russia, and Guo Dacheng, President of China Shipbuilding Industry Association, delivered remarkable speeches in the opening ceremony. Heike Deggim, Minister of Maritime Security of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), made an important speech as an invited guest. 

The conference consists of 3 branch venues: Harbin Engineering University, Wuhan University of Technology, and Russian University of Transport, and the whole conference was shown live online. During the two-day conference, the conference held sub-forums such as the International Ship Intelligence and Autonomous Navigation Technology Forum, the Green Ship Technology Forum, and the Ship and Offshore Engineering Youth Innovation Forum, and made a total of 31 reports. The reporter shared the current status and development trends of intelligent ships and research on cutting-edge technologies of green ships, covering industry needs and cutting-edge scientific issues in the fields of ships and marine engineering, such as autonomous sailing ships and green and low-carbon energy. Nearly 1,000 people participated in the offline venue, and the webcast volume reached more than 3,000 partcipants.

Since its establishment in June 2015, the International Organization for Innovation and Cooperation in Ship and Offshore Engineering (ICNAME), led by HEU, has received extensive response and support from the domestic and international industry, and the number of committee member and observers units has been increasing. After five years of development, there are now 70 commitee units and observer units in nearly 20 countries, including China, Russia, New Zealand, France, Britain, Japan, South Korea, Ukraine, Thailand, etc. Since its establishment, ICNAME has been building a platform for international exchange and cooperation in the field of ship and ocean engineering, promoting and strengthening mutual cooperation and common development in scientific research, internationally exchanging conversion, talent training and resource sharing among renowned universities, research institutes and industry units in the field of international ship and marine engineering research. The application has made a positive contribution