On August 10, 2019, the 8th National Marine Vessel Design and Construction Competition, along with the 2019 International Marine Vessel Design and Construction Invitation Competition and the 4th International Ship and Ocean Engineering Innovation and Cooperation Conference, opened at the Qihang Theatre of Harbin Engineering University. Attendees included Sun Dongsheng, Deputy Governor of Heilongjiang Province; Li Changyin, Chairman of the China Society of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering; Gao Yan, Secretary of the Party Committee of Harbin Engineering University; Yang Baohe, Director of the Competition Jury and a renowned Chinese ship design master; representatives from China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation, China State Shipbuilding Corporation, China Society of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, China Ocean Engineering Society, Committee for Teaching Guidance of Ocean Engineering Majors under the Ministry of Education, Committee for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education of the Ministry of Education, leaders of the International Ship and Ocean Engineering Innovation and Cooperation Organization, relevant leaders of Harbin Engineering University, among others.

Li Guo’an, Vice Chairman of the China Society of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, delivered a speech, emphasizing that the competition upholds the principles of “advocating science, seeking knowledge through practice, daring to innovate, focusing on the ocean, and serving national defense.” The competition aims to enhance students’ national defense awareness and marine consciousness, guiding students to embrace a spirit of innovation, hard work, and dedication, thereby promoting technological innovation and talent development among university students. He encouraged all participating teams to seize this opportunity and strive for excellence without any regrets.

Gao Yan, Secretary of the Party Committee of Harbin Engineering University, welcomed the participants at the opening ceremony, expressing gratitude for the support from the International Ship and Ocean Engineering Innovation and Cooperation Organization. He highlighted the simultaneous hosting of the International Marine Vessel Design and Construction Invitation Competition during this event and believed that, with collaborative efforts from various domestic and international entities, the competition  would sow the seeds of exchange and mutual learning, leading to the emergence of more high-quality entries.

Kirill, Vice Chairman of the International Ship and Ocean Engineering Innovation and Cooperation Organization and Vice President of Saint Petersburg State University of Marine Technology in Russia, delivered a speech.

Harbin Engineering University’s representative Yan Shuai, on behalf of all participating athletes, pledged to approach the competition showing the spirit of courage and determination, and a rigorous and practical style. Adhering to the principle of “friendship first, competition second, emphasis on participation,” he promised to show resilience, determination, and perseverance during the competition. He vowed to obey the judges, uphold competition discipline, strictly follow the rules, respect the assessment results, and demonstrate character, skill, and style in the competition.

This edition of the competition stands out with its distinctive features, themed “Ocean, Innovation, Cooperation, and Win-Win.” It had the highest number of participants, the largest venue, and the most projects in the history of the competition and introduces the inaugural International Marine Vessel Design and Construction Invitation Competition. Lasting for two days, the competition is overseen by ship design master Yang Baohe and a team of judges. Additionally, foreign experts including Professor Carlos Guedes Soares from the Portuguese Academy of Engineering and Professor Muk Chen Ong from the Norwegian Academy of Science have been invited to participate in the assessment, reflecting the internationalization of the competition with students from around the world competing together. The secretariat received 641 submissions from 60 universities and research institutes, including 13 from foreign institutions, totaling 14 submissions. After the initial assessment by the judges, 596 submissions have made it to the final round.

The “National Marine Vessel Design and Construction Competition” is guided by the China Association for Science and Technology and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. It is organized by China State Shipbuilding Corporation, China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation, China Ocean Engineering Society, China Society of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, the Education Ministry’s Committee for Teaching Guidance of Ocean Engineering Majors, the Education Ministry’s Committee for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education, and the International Ship and Ocean Engineering Innovation and Cooperation Organization (ICNAME). This comprehensive competition project targets full-time non-adult education students across various higher education institutions and research institutes nationwide. The competition’s purpose and goals are centered around “advocating science, seeking knowledge through practice, daring to innovate, focusing on the ocean, and serving national defense.” It is the highest-level and largest-scale competition in China’s ship and ocean engineering field.