The coastal city of Yantai has seen rapid growth in marine industries since the Shandong Peninsula Marine Economic Zone development program became a part of the nation's overall development strategy in January last year.
"The marine strategy is a great opportunity for the coastal city and sets a new trend for its economic development. We are stepping up efforts to foster emerging industries and hope to take the lead in developing a marine economy," Yantai Mayor Wang Liang said.
The mayor said the annual revenue from Yantai's marine sectors increased from 54.8 billion yuan to 126.5 billion yuan from 2006 to 2010, an average annual growth rate of 18.2 percent.
Over the last year, marine industry revenue grew by 16.2 percent over 2010 levels and reached 148 billion yuan. The industry accounted for around 30 percent of the city's GDP.
Its ports along the Yellow Sea handled a total of 240 million tons of bulk cargo and 1.7 million containers in 2011.
Over the next five years, the city is planning for the further development of its ports and port-related industries, Wang said. Officials aim to make it a global center for marine science and technology as well as a regional shipping hub connecting China, Japan and South Korea. The mayor said Yantai also strives to become a world-class coastal resort and an eco-friendly city.
Obvious advantages
Yantai has a number of obvious advantages that will allow the city to lead the nation's marine industries.
It has a 900-kilometer coastline, the second-longest coastal area of all of Shandong's cities, and a 26,000-square-kilometer sea area that is nearly twice the size of Yantai's land area.
Its advantages in terms of ports, coastline, islands, biology and mining mean the city's marine economy has great potential, Wang said.
Taking advantage of its marine resources, the city has now established a competitive marine industrial system focused on aquaculture, fishing, marine equipment manufacturing, modern logistics as well as ocean energy and minerals.
To date, a total of 500 billion yuan has been allocated to develop a range of ocean-related projects, including a large-scale production base for marine equipment in Penglai, a research center for nuclear power facilities and a national wind energy base on Changdao Island with an installed capacity of 1 million kilowatts, Wang said.
To spur its marine sectors, the city needs more business exchanges and cooperation with overseas companies, especially global giants in the fields of marine biology, equipment manufacturing, information technology, environmental protection and ocean-based transportation, Wang said.
In 2011, the city attracted foreign investment totaling $23.3 billion, 80 percent of which was spent to modernize its marine sectors. A large number of foreign-funded companies have become powerful engines for the development of the city's marine economy, such as South Korea's Daewoo Shipbuilding and Singapore's Raffles Shipyard.
The city is looking to develop modern logistics facilities that will enable it to act as a portal to the Northeast Asian countries. A total of 55 new berths will be built in the next few years, involving an investment of 24.8 billion yuan. The annual throughput of its ports is projected to reach 300 million tons by 2015.
New economic zone
Leaders at the provincial and city level have prioritized the construction of a new economic zone for marine industries on the eastern coast of the city.
Covering a total area of nearly 600 sq km, the zone is expected to become a marine industry powerhouse for the entire Shandong Peninsula. It includes an advanced marine industry cluster, a national technology-transfer center and a coastal tourist resort.
By 2016, Yantai's marine sectors will generate an estimated 300 billion yuan worth of revenue and will grow annually by 20 percent.
To reach the goal, the city's authorities will continue to look for high-caliber personnel from at home and abroad through a series of preferential policies and services.
The Yantai government is also encouraging local fishing and aquaculture companies to closely cooperate with research institutions.
Wang said strict measures will be taken to balance economic development and marine environmental protection. To date, 46 projects have been implemented to restore fishery resources.
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