On June 26, the on-site evaluation and acceptance meeting for Dalian Maritime University’s pilot task under the strategy for building a strong transportation nation—Research on Unmanned Cargo Ships Technology—was successfully held. The evaluation was attended by members of the advisory and expert panel from the Department of Science and Technology of the Ministry of Transport, Zhejiang Maritime Safety Administration, Yantai Salvage Bureau, China Academy of Transportation Sciences, China Institute of Navigation, Dalian Minzu University, Beihang University, and the Dalian Branch of China Classification Society. DMU President Shan Hongjun and Vice President Zhao Youtao attended the meeting, which was chaired by Zhang Penghao, First-Level Principal Staff Member of the Department of Science and Technology Innovation and Development, Ministry of Transport.

President Shan Hongjun extended a warm welcome to the members of the evaluation and advisory panel on behalf of the university. He emphasized that since the launch of the pilot task on “Unmanned Cargo Ships Technology Research”, the university has attached great importance to the project. By strengthening organizational leadership, optimizing resource allocation, and enhancing team collaboration, DMU has worked to ensure technological breakthroughs and the delivery of high-impact outcomes in the cutting-edge field of smart shipping. After five years of dedicated effort, the university’s research team has made significant progress in a number of key areas, including intelligent navigation for unmanned ships, remote monitoring and shore-based support, communication assurance, intelligent operation and maintenance, unmanned ship design and construction, testing and application, theoretical modeling and simulation of maritime AI systems, as well as the promotion and practical application of related research achievements. Meanwhile, the university has also cultivated a cohort of highly skilled, interdisciplinary, and innovative professionals in this emerging field. President Shan affirmed that the university will carefully study and follow up on the feedback provided by the advisory and expert panel, continue in-depth research, and strive to make further breakthroughs in intelligent shipping—contributing to the high-quality development of the maritime sector and the accelerated construction of a transportation powerhouse. Zhang Penghao, speaking on behalf of the pilot task’s supervising authority, expressed gratitude to the expert panel and partner organizations. He briefly outlined the background of this on-site evaluation, noting that the pilot program is an important measure in implementing the Guidelines for Building China into a Transportation Power and the Guidelines on Developing Comprehensive Transportation Network. He praised DMU’s strong organizational leadership, robust resource support, and solid project execution. He noted that the university’s efforts had been targeted and well-coordinated, focusing on key areas of the pilot task, producing significant results, promoting the application of outcomes, and nurturing urgently needed talent for the industry. The pilot project, he concluded, has achieved remarkable success and fully meets the evaluation criteria.

Zhang Guoqing, head of the pilot project, gave a detailed report on the implementation and progress of the task. Following the presentation, the acceptance panel conducted in-depth discussions, shared their feedback and suggestions, and formulated an official evaluation report.

Attending the meeting were representatives from the university’s Department of Science and Technology, the National Key Laboratory of Waterborne Traffic Control, and various academic units including the Navigation College, the Marine Engineering College, the Marine Electrical Engineering College, the Information Science and Technology College, and the Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering College.