On January 9-11, 2024, the International Forum for Innovative Development on Marine Renewable Energy in the New Era was held in Yajian Tech City, Sanya. Hosted by Harbin Engineering University, the forum was organized by the Nanhai Institute of Harbin Engineering University, and co-sponsored by the College of Shipbuilding Engineering of Harbin Engineering University, the Women Scientists Committee of the China Association of Shipbuilding Industry, the National Key Laboratory of Hydropower Equipment, the International Cooperation Joint Laboratory of Ship and Ocean Engineering Technology of the Ministry of Education, the Marine Energy Committee of the Chinese Renewable Energy Society, and the Key Laboratory of Deep Sea Engineering Equipment and Technology of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

The opening ceremony was attended by Professor Yu YAO, President of Harbin Engineering University, Junli WANG, Secretary-General of the Chinese Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, Deputy Director Rongxia LIU of the Science and Technology Achievement and Cooperation Division of the Department of Science and Technology of Hainan Province, and Professor Jing GENG, Vice Director of the National Key Laboratory of Hydropower Equipment and Assistant to the President of Harbin Engineering University.

The conference was chaired by Ye LI, Dean of the College of Shipbuilding Engineering of Harbin Engineering University, and featured presentations by eight scholars including Professor Carlos, an academician of the Portuguese Academy of Engineering.

The forum consisted of three main parts: keynote speeches, a women’s scientist forum, and a young scholars’ forum. In addition, parallel sessions were held on topics such as multifunctional marine structures, hydrodynamics of marine energy equipment, and operation and maintenance of marine energy equipment. The forum brought together more than 120 experts, scholars, engineers, and industry representatives from nearly 30 universities, research institutions, industry associations, and related enterprises in the UK, Portugal, and China to exchange cutting-edge achievements in the development of marine new energy at home and abroad.

The aim of the Forum for Innovative Development of Marine Renewable Energy in the New Era was to strengthen the deep integration of marine engineering and related disciplines, promote fundamental research, equipment R&D and industrial development in the field of marine new energy in the new era, and provide a platform for exchanges of new ideas, viewpoints, and sharing new achievements.

Professor Carlos GUEDES SOARES from University of Lisbon presented on “Hydrodynamic Characteristics of Oscillating Water Column Wave Energy Devices” at the forum.

Professor Qingwei MA, Director of the Fluid-Structure Interaction Research Centre at City University of London, presented on “The Role of Multifunctionality in the Development of Ocean Renewable Energy”.

Professor Yongliang ZHANG, a leading scientist at the China Institute of Oceanography and an academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, presented on “The Wave Dragon® Aerodynamic Wave Power Generation Technology”.

Professor Lars JOHANNING, Director of the Marine Technology Department at Plymouth University, presented on “The Importance of Offshore Wind Power in Addressing Climate Change”.

Professor Dezhi NING, Vice Dean of the School of Civil Engineering and Director of the National Key Laboratory of Coastal and Offshore Engineering at Dalian University of Technology, presented on “Research Progress of the Dalian University of Technology Ocean Renewable Energy Team in Floating Wind Turbines”.

Dr. Daqing Qin, Chief Scientist of Harbin Electric Group and Director of the National Key Laboratory of Hydropower Equipment, presented on “Several Thoughts on the Future Development of River-to-Sea Hydroelectric Equipment”.

Professor Geng Jing, Chair of the Forum and Director of the National Key Laboratory of Hydropower Equipment at Harbin Engineering University, and Professor Zhao Xuanlie, Co-Chair of the Forum, presented on “Hydrodynamic Analysis and Design Methods for Multifunctional Marine Structures”.