Shipyard in Nantong. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

Nantong in East China's Jiangsu province is scheduled to host the 2026 Nantong Jianghai International Expo at the Nantong International Convention and Exhibition Center from Sept 16 to 19, as announced at a press conference on June 4.

Themed on co-creating a world-class shipbuilding and marine engineering cluster, the expo will feature an industry cluster development promotion conference, the seventh Nantong Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Industry Exhibition, along with several specialized forums and project matchmaking activities.

The event aims to establish a dynamic platform for industrial exchange and collaboration, bringing together key players, including shipbuilding and marine engineering assembly companies, supporting enterprises, universities and research institutes, foreign investors, shipowners, and financial institutions.

As a leading professional exhibition in China, this year's event spans over 30,000 square meters, including 26,000 sq m of indoor exhibition space and a 4,000-sq-m water exhibition area at Zilang Lake.

The expo is anticipated to attract over 500 companies and more than 30,000 domestic and international visitors. So far, delegations from five major countries, including France, South Korea, Finland, and Singapore, have confirmed their participation. Leading companies from maritime powerhouses such as Norway and Denmark, along with global mainstream classification societies like American Bureau of Shipping and Lloyd's Register, will also be present.

Shipbuilding and marine engineering are cornerstone industries and hallmarks of Nantong. Currently, these industries account for one-eighth and one-third of the national scale, respectively. In 2025, Nantong's 428 shipbuilding and marine engineering enterprises above a designated size achieved a total output value of 221.2 billion yuan ($32.63 billion), marking a year-on-year increase of 6.6 percent.