On the afternoon of May 17, Dalian Maritime University signed a cooperation agreement with the Hong Kong International Shipping and Maritime Services Centre and the Hong Kong Chamber of Shipping. Hing Chao, Chairman of the Hong Kong International Shipping and Maritime Services Centre, Chairman of the Hong Kong Chamber of Shipping, and Chairman of the Wah Kwong Maritime Transport Holdings Limited, together with Prof. Shan Hongjun, President of Dalian Maritime University, attended the signing ceremony and engaged in discussions and exchanges.

President Shan Hongjun welcomed Hing Chao and his delegation to Dalian Maritime University. He emphasized that Dalian Maritime University attaches great importance to exchanges and cooperation with the Hong Kong shipping sector, actively learns from its excellent traditions to empower the university's scientific research and talent cultivation, and thereby contribute to the high-quality development of the shipping industry. He hoped that the signing of this cooperation agreement would mark a new starting point for the three parties to further deepen pragmatic cooperation. Through the principle of "Extensive Consultation, Joint Contribution and Shared Benefits", the three parties would jointly create a new model for cooperation between the Hong Kong shipping sector and mainland universities, making respective contributions to accelerating the development of a strong transportation and shipping nation.

Chairman Hing Chao stated that Dalian Maritime University enjoys a high reputation in international maritime education and is an important and trustworthy partner. Hong Kong, as an international shipping hub, is speeding up the development of smart ports and green shipping. He expressed his hope that this cooperation would give full play to the advantages of the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong in resources, platforms, and talent, promote in-depth integration in shipping education, technology research and development, policy research, etc., and jointly explore broader development space.

During the meeting, all parties had an in-depth discussion on the key contents of cooperation and reached many consensuses. Then, Shan Hongjun and Hing Chao signed a cooperation agreement on behalf of all parties. Under the cooperation framework, all parties will establish the Hong Kong International Shipping and Maritime Service Centre and the Hong Kong Shipowners Association Northeast Asia Representative Office (Dalian) based on their resource advantages. The representative office will focus on international maritime research, talent exchange, project cooperation, and cultural exchange.

During their visit to the university, Hing Chao and his delegation also toured the Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Salvage and Rescue, as well as the Smart Port Laboratory, where they gained firsthand insights into the university’s latest advancements and achievements in smart shipping, engineering research, and related fields.

Attending the symposium and signing ceremony were representatives from various organizations, including Zhang Hui, General Manager of China Classification Society Dalian Branch; Zhao Lianjiu, Secretary-General of the Hong Kong International Shipping and Maritime Service Center; Chen Changzheng, General Manager of Venture Shipping Limited; and Mou Xue, Special Assistant to the Chairman of Wah Kwong Maritime Transport Holdings Limited. University representatives from the Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan Affairs Office, the Office of Science and Technology, the Alumni Affairs and Student Employment Office, the College of Transportation Engineering, the School of Maritime Economics and Management, the International Maritime College (International Students’ Education Center), the Humanities and Social Sciences Research Institute (Shipping Development Research Institute), the Institute for Dalian Northeast Asia International Shipping Center, and the Joint Research and Development Center for Sustainable Marine Fuels also participated.