On July 10th, a press briefing for the 2025 China Navigation Day events was held in Boao, Qionghai City, Hainan Province. July 11th, 2025, marks the 21st “China Navigation Day,” with this year’s theme “Green Navigation: Charting a Course for Innovation and Strength.” This year also commemorates the 20th anniversary of the establishment of China Navigation Day and the 620th anniversary of Zheng He’s maritime voyages.
The main venue will feature over 20 diverse activities, including forums, seminars, and science and culture events, showcasing five key characteristics:
Emphasis on Professional Vision and Frontier Exploration: The 2025 China Navigation Day Main Forum & National Navigation Day Events Launch Ceremony will commence at 9:00 AM on July 11th in Boao. During the ceremony, the documentary “The Path to a Shipping Powerhouse: A Review of 20 Years of China Navigation Day” will be screened, summarizing the achievements and experiences of the development of China’s Shipping Industry. The release segment will cover multiple items, including the 2024 China Shipping Development Report; the 2025 list of Safety and Integrity Shipping Companies and Vessels; the 2025 list of National Model Workers and Advanced Workers in the Navigation Field; the 2024 lists of CIN Awards for Scientific and Technological Progress and Technical Invention; and the initiative “Leading the New Trend of Green, Low-Carbon, and Intelligent Development in Shipping.” This year’s Navigation Day Forum features 5 sub-forums and 5 parallel sessions. With its coverage expanded, the event will include new forums focusing on industry hotspots and cutting-edge topics such as Ship Finance and Insurance, Safe Development of the Yachting Industry, and Young Talent in Navigation Technology.
Hosting Think Tank Seminars to Advise for Industry Development: The Seminar on the topic of “New Quality Productive Forces in Shipping Development”will be held on the afternoon of July 11th. Representatives from the “Veteran Transportation Experts Think Tank” and port and shipping enterprises will be invited to discuss pathways for promoting new quality development in the shipping industry driven by technological innovation. Experts will deliver speeches and exchange views on topics including promoting high-quality development of inland waterway shipping, accelerating the construction of world-class ports, empowering high-quality shipping development with technology, innovation and application prospects of intelligent navigation technology, as well as maritime education, innovations in international maritime arbitration systems, and practices related to the Hainan Free Trade Port.
Establish a Communication Platform for Frontline Practitioners. This year, the “Port Craftsmen Innovation Exchange Camp” will be held consecutively, bringing together industrial workers and innovation leaders from the port industry to discuss topics such as technological trends in the sector and the participation of technical workers in industry governance. The event aims to facilitate cross-regional, cross-industry, and cross-enterprise exchanges, providing a broader platform for innovation and efficiency among industrial workers. Additionally, a “Captains and Chief Engineers Salon” will be organized, focusing on “Building a High-End Maritime Talent Team for a New Future of Navigation,” where participants will share experiences and offer recommendations.
Highlight Hainan’s Distinctive Features in a Series of Events. This year marks Hainan Free Trade Port’s island-wide customs operation and further opening-up. Special speeches and presentations on Hainan Free Trade Port’s achievements and development policies have been delivered on the main forum, the Port and Shipping Enterprise Development Forum, and the Seminar on New Quality Productive Forces in Shipping, to pool collective efforts for the construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port.
Provide Comprehensive and Multi-Dimensional Maritime Science Popularization Culture Experience. During the Maritime Day, the National Maritime Science Popularization Season will be held continually, themed“Sailing Toward the Future, Exploring New Dreams.”Targeting the general public and youth, the event features a series of interactive, educational, and entertaining science popularization activities. On the morning of July 10, the China (Hainan) Museum of the South China Sea launched the National Maritime Science Popularization Season, inviting maritime science popularization ambassadors to deliver excellent lectures for students. The Maritime Science Summer Camp also officially opened, with the list of newly appointed maritime science popularization ambassadors and designated science popularization education bases for 2025 announced. During the Maritime Day period, 120 national maritime science popularization education bases will opened up to the public, with over 30 maritime science ambassadors and 200 volunteers providing lectures and guided tours. Two new featured activities have been added this year: the inaugural “COSCO SHIPPING Cup”Sailor’s Knot Competition and the“Hundred Rivers to the Sea---‘Xin Hong Zhuan’Ship Tribute to the Maritime Silk Road”cultural journey.
To commemorate the 620th anniversary of Zheng He’s voyages and the 20th anniversary of China Maritime Day, China Post will issue a commemorative envelope entitled“20th Anniversary of China Maritime Day”on July 11.
Li Shixin, Vice chairman of the Standing Committee
Feng Yue, Deputy Director of China Waterborne Transport Research Institute of the Ministry of Transport
Huang Peng, Vice Director of the Department of Transport of Hainan Province
Li Xi, Vice Mayor of Qionghai City
Jiang Shifei, General Manager of the Digital Transformation Department of China COSCO Shipping Corporation Limited
Li Shixin, Vice chairman of the Standing Committee; Feng Yue, Deputy Director of China Waterborne Transport Research Institute of the Ministry of Transport; Huang Peng, Vice Director of the Department of Transport of Hainan Province; Li Xi, Vice Mayor of Qionghai City; Jiang Shifei, General Manager of the Digital Transformation Department of China COSCO Shipping Corporation Limited, answered reporters’ questions on topics such as maritime technology innovations, the shipping industry’s response to decarbonization, digital transformation in shipping enterprises, the development of Hainan Free Trade Port as an international shipping hub, and Qionghai's distinctive maritime culture.