On August 26, the Shenzhen–Zhuhai–Zhanjiang AI + Ocean Industry Collaboration & Development Conference, themed “Harnessing AI for the Deep Blue | Driving Collaborative Growth Across the Bay,” was held at Turing Hall, Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center (Bao’an). As a major featured forum of the 2026 Shenzhen International General Artificial Intelligence Industry Expo & Global Embodied Intelligence & Robotics Industry Expo, the conference brought together representatives from industry associations, leading research platforms, and major marine-sector enterprises.
Jointly initiated by the Shenzhen Municipal Bureau of Marine Development, Zhuhai Municipal Bureau of Marine Development, and Zhanjiang Municipal Bureau of Ocean and Fisheries, the conference saw the participation of organizations including the Shenzhen Artificial Intelligence Industry Association and the Zhanjiang Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Association. Together, the participants released the AI + Ocean Collaborative Development Consensus, demonstrating their commitment to accelerating the integration of AI and marine industries, fostering new drivers of growth and innovation in the marine economy, and creating a practical platform to support China’s maritime development strategy and Guangdong’s ambition to become a leading marine province.
Building Consensus for Greater Industrial Collaboration
The ocean has become a strategic frontier for high-quality economic development. As artificial intelligence and embodied intelligence technologies increasingly enter the marine sector, they are emerging as powerful drivers of innovation and industrial transformation.
With its significant marine resources and strong industrial foundations, Guangdong is well positioned to advance AI + Ocean development. Shenzhen, Zhuhai, and Zhanjiang each bring distinct strengths to the table, creating a complementary regional ecosystem.
- Shenzhen is advancing urban intelligence initiatives through its Urban Intelligence System (UIS), supported by a strong innovation ecosystem and extensive AI technology capabilities.
- Zhuhai has established a national-level marine testing facility and developed a solid industrial foundation in intelligent marine equipment.
- Zhanjiang offers extensive real-world application environments in offshore and deep-sea settings, providing distinctive conditions for technology testing and validation.
Together, the three cities have the foundations to establish a collaborative industrial value chain spanning technology enablement, equipment support, and real-world application.
However, as marine AI continues to develop, the limitations of cross-regional collaboration are becoming increasingly apparent. Barriers to the movement of innovation resources make it difficult to share technological achievements, marine equipment, application scenarios, and operational experience efficiently. Many promising marine AI innovations remain confined to local pilot projects, while adapting and deploying proven solutions across different regions can involve significant costs and practical challenges. These obstacles limit the broader impact of innovation and slow the development of new drivers of growth in the marine economy.
Connecting AI Companies with Marine Industries | Building a Collaborative Value Chain
The AI + Ocean Collaborative Development Consensus is a practical response to the needs of industry stakeholders. It aims to establish collaboration platforms, facilitate resource sharing, reduce innovation costs, and accelerate the deployment of technologies in real-world marine applications.
By leveraging the respective strengths and resources of Shenzhen, Zhuhai, and Zhanjiang, the initiative seeks to establish a collaborative development framework based on specialized roles and complementary advantages. With support from relevant departments of China’s Ministry of Natural Resources and the Guangdong provincial government, the three cities will work together to promote the application of AI technologies in marine industries and inject fresh momentum into the high-quality development of Guangdong’s marine economy.
Developed under the joint initiative of the marine authorities of Shenzhen, Zhuhai, and Zhanjiang, the Consensus was jointly formulated with contributions from industry associations, research institutions, and industry stakeholders.
Participants agreed that cross-regional collaboration is essential to reducing the costs of marine AI innovation and accelerating the adoption of AI technologies in real-world marine environments.
The Consensus establishes five guiding principles:
- Innovation-Led Development
- Open Collaboration and Resource Sharing
- Market-Driven Development
- Safety and Compliance
- Collaborative Governance
These principles seek to balance the interests of technology providers, application stakeholders, research institutions, industry associations, and other participants. By fostering a sustainable and mutually beneficial industrial ecosystem, the initiative aims to unlock innovation across the entire marine value chain.
In response to the practical needs of the AI + Ocean industry, the Consensus identifies four key areas for coordinated development:
1. Technology Supply
Encourage AI companies to develop technologies and products tailored to the complex operating conditions of marine environments, with a focus on key areas such as marine-specific large AI models, intelligent sensing, and marine digital twins.
2. Application Scenario Development
Promote the structured opening of key industrial application scenarios, including smart marine ranching, marine energy development, and port logistics. The aim is to establish more effective channels connecting technology providers with real-world application needs.
3. Industrial Integration
Strengthen the integration of AI technologies with marine industries, facilitating closer collaboration across the value chain and accelerating the transition from technological breakthroughs to practical industrial applications.
4. Industrial Ecosystem Infrastructure
Promote the standardized opening and sharing of marine data, the development of industry standards, pilot programs for trusted data spaces, and the cultivation of interdisciplinary talent. These efforts will help establish a stronger foundation for the long-term development of the AI + Ocean ecosystem.
From Pilot Projects to Scalable Cross-Regional Collaboration
Going forward, all participating organizations will use the Consensus as a framework for action, bringing together a broad range of stakeholders, including provincial and municipal marine authorities, industry associations, research institutions, leading enterprises, and technology innovators.
By connecting resources across the entire value chain—from technology R&D and equipment manufacturing to application deployment and capital support—the initiative will advance a series of industry matchmaking activities under the theme “Blue Ocean Intelligence | AI-Powered Transformation.”
These activities will focus on key sectors such as smart ports, intelligent shipping, deep-sea equipment, and marine data, using real-world industry challenges to facilitate targeted connections between technology suppliers and application demand.
The ultimate goal is to move marine AI beyond isolated pilot projects and toward large-scale collaboration across regions, multiple levels of the industrial ecosystem, and the entire value chain.
Through deeper cooperation among Shenzhen, Zhuhai, and Zhanjiang, the initiative aims to foster new drivers of growth and innovation in the marine economy, support the high-quality development of the Greater Bay Area’s blue economy, and contribute to the intelligent transformation and upgrading of China’s marine industries.