The 2026 Global Ocean Development Forum opens in Qingdao West Coast New Area on Sept 17. [Photo/VCG]

The 2026 Global Ocean Development Forum opened in Qingdao West Coast New Area on Sept 17, bringing together participants from China and abroad to discuss marine economic development, technological innovation and international cooperation.

Approved by the State Council and jointly hosted by the Shandong provincial government and the Ministry of Natural Resources, this year's forum is themed "From Blue to the Future — Developing a Sustainable Ocean Economy and Building a Beautiful and Bountiful Ocean".

The three-day event includes an opening ceremony and main forum, a dialogue on marine civilization, four parallel forums and eight supporting activities.

The main forum focuses on the ocean economy, artificial intelligence, technological innovation and blue finance. Major reports and indexes, including the World Ocean Economy Development Report 2026 and the China Ocean Development Index 2026, are also being released.

The parallel forums cover marine industries, ocean science and technology, deep-sea development and ocean governance, with more than 50 innovation achievements and representative case studies expected to be presented.

Now in its third edition, the forum has developed into an international platform for exchanges and cooperation across the marine sector.