On July 11, the China Maritime Forum and Opening Ceremony of China Maritime Day 2025 were held in the coastal town of Boao in Hainan Province. Under the theme “Green Navigation Towards New Progress”, it gathered worldwide maritime industry representatives to celebrate the 21st China Maritime Day.

Mr. Zhu Bixin, Director of the Board & President of COSCO SHIPPING, delivered a keynote speech during the forum titled “Digital Supply Chain for Smooth Global Logistics”. Mr. Zhu stated that in recent years, COSCO SHIPPING has actively responded to the new trends in the shipping industry featuring green, low-carbon, and intelligent development. By leveraging digital technologies, COSCO SHIPPING has been striving to create new supply chain models. By utilizing artificial intelligence, it has focused on building a new platform in the shipping industry. By taking green development as its foundation, it has been working to establish a sustainable new ecosystem that facilitates global trade, empowers transportation development, and contributes to the maritime community. Looking ahead, COSCO SHIPPING will continue leveraging its strength in digital intelligence and green low-carbon technologies to drive global shipping transformation. Given its edges in coordinated industrial development of global shipping and shipping-related sectors, COSCO SHIPPING is actively promoting the construction of the “three major platforms” (i.e., the global digital supply chain platform, full-life-cycle digital intelligent ship operations platform, and global talent development platform), empowering global trade prosperity by offering Chinese shipping wisdom.

A wide range of activities were held by COSCO SHIPPING to promote the maritime spirit, celebrate maritime culture, and raise public awareness of maritime affairs, including the Forum on Development of Port and Shipping Enterprise, the Captain & Chief Engineer Salon, M.V. XIN HONG ZHUAN’s Cultural Exhibition Voyage, the opening of China Maritime Museum’s Digital Exhibition Hall in Boao, and the “COSCO SHIPPING Cup” Sailor Knot Competition. Among them, M.V. XIN HONG ZHUAN’s cultural exhibition voyage honoring the Maritime Silk Road called at seven modern and historical ports connecting not only the nation’s northern and southern coastal lines but also its past and present. Additionally, more than 40 teenagers from areas assisted by COSCO SHIPPING attended the Maritime Day activities in Boao, experiencing in person the charm of maritime culture.

“COSCO SHIPPING Cup” Sailor’s Knot Competition

On July 9, the finals of the first “COSCO SHIPPING Cup” Sailor’s Knot Competition was successfully held in Boao, Hainan. 57 participants from professional, college, amateur, and junior groups, competed and showcased an exciting display of knot-tying skills. During the competition, participants deepened their understanding of maritime spirit and culture, enhanced their sense of teamwork.

China Maritime Museum’s Digital Exhibition Hall in Boao

The Boao Digital Exhibition Hall of the China Maritime Museum was officially opened on July 9 at the Boao Forum for Asia International Conference Center. As the first maritime-themed digital museum in Hainan, it was jointly developed by COSCO SHIPPING Boao and the China Maritime Museum.

Located on the third floor of the Boao Forum for Asia International Conference Center, the digital exhibition features two main halls: the Admiral Zheng He Exhibition Hall and the COSCO SHIPPING Exhibition Hall. The exhibition combines advanced digital display technologies with physical exhibits, following the theme of “Comparing the Past and the Present”, to showcase the continuous development of Chinese maritime civilization—from the treasure ships of Admiral Zheng He in 1405 to the intelligent vessels of 2025.

In the Admiral Zheng He Exhibition Hall, visitors can experience his seven legendary voyages through video presentations, dynamic graphics, and interactive screens. The exhibition covers shipbuilding techniques, navigation technologies, fleet composition, treasures carried, and the evolution of the routes during Admiral Zheng He’s seven maritime expeditions.

In the COSCO SHIPPING Exhibition Hall, visitors can experience sailing through waves by operating maritime simulation equipment. They can also explore and engage with the digital achievements of COSCO SHIPPING, including its global end-to-end digital supply chain solutions, the “Vessel Value Visualization” platform, and the first public shipping large model “Hi-Dolphin”.