On November 8th, 2020, HEU held the launch ceremony of the first Ocean Object Intelligent Sensing International Challenge 2020. The launch ceremony is carried out in a combination of online and offline, with the main venue set up in the Qihang Activity Center.

YAN Xinping, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, LI Guoan, Vice President of the China Shipbuilding Engineering Association, WANG Junli, Secretary General of the China Shipbuilding Engineering Society, LIU Zuyuan, Vice President of Wuhan University of Technology, Hans Petter Hilder, Vice Secretary of the Party Committee of Northwestern University of Technology,WAN Xiaopeng, Vice President of Dalian University of Technology, LI Weiran, Vice President of China Ocean University, WU Hua, Vice President of Baidu Corporation, WANG Xiaofan, Vice President of Shanghai University, Vice President of Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, JI Chunyan and other members of the competition organizing committee, the jury attended the launch ceremony.

XIA Guihua, Deputy Secretary of HEU’s Party Committee, attended the event. The head of the relevant unit of HEU participated in the activities. The launch ceremony was presided over by CAI Chengtao, Vice Dean of the College of Intelligence.

XIA Guihua extended a warm welcome to the guests, teachers and students who participated in the competition. XIA Guihua pointed out that the shipbuilding industry is actively exploring the development of artificial intelligence. HEU and brother colleges and research institutes have carried out a series of research on smart ships-related topics, and achieved relevant results.

XIA Guihua stressed that ocean object intelligent sensing is the key technology to realize unmanned navigation of ships. Through the competition, we can gather the wisdom of all people and realize the technological breakthrough of the sensing and recognition of the ocean object. HEU attaches great importance to students' innovation and entrepreneurship education work, adhering to building a good innovation platform for students. The competition can attract more students and teachers interested in the intelligent shipping industry to participate in research, explore and train more high-quality talent.

YAN Xinping said that intelligent technology in the marine field is an important foundation and support for the implementation of the strategy of maritime power, and is also a hot topic in the international maritime community and shipbuilding industry. The competition will accelerate the deep integration and technological empowerment of emerging technologies in intelligence and information with the marine and shipping fields. Selecting winning algorithms and excellent ideas through the competition will contribute to technological progress and capability enhancement in important fields such as smart oceans and intelligent ships.

YAN Xinping hopes that the students and teachers participating in the competition can work hard, dare to explore, break through the self, personally perceive the charm of intelligent marine technology, and actively participate in the field of marine intelligent technology research and exploration.

LI Guoan said that by completing the multi-category ship target identification task, the contestants will have more opportunities to gain insight into the domestic and foreign industry background and broad prospects in the field of shipping and sea, which is of great significance for enhancing college students' marine consciousness, innovative spirit, and promoting the high integration of their scientific and technological innovation and practical ability. The competition has been supported by enterprises in technology and calculation platform, and has played a positive role in promoting the construction of deep integration of schools and enterprises and the construction of intelligent ecological circle.

The technical team leader of the competition secretariat, XING Xianglei, introduced the intelligent ship portal platform and competition rules to the participants, and briefly explained the competition tasks, the way of participation, the data set of the competition, the method of evaluation of achievements and the use of the official website of the competition.

XIA Guihua and SUN Rongping, Vice President of the Undergraduate College, WANG Qinhui, Vice President of the Graduate School, YU Yunliang, Deputy Secretary of Youth League Committee, and Chen Yan, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Academy of Intelligent Sciences and Engineering, took the stage to jointly the ceremony.

With the theme of "Chasing the ocean dream, perceiving intelligence, breaking through self and innovating the future", the competition aims to promote the research boom in the field of artificial intelligence and intelligent marine technology at home and abroad, building a platform for the exchange of talents between artificial intelligence and intelligent ocean, accelerating the development and application innovation of intelligent technology in the field of ocean. The competition is of great significance to enhance college students' marine consciousness, innovative spirit, guide college students to set up hard work, and promote their scientific and technological innovation and practical ability.