By Wang Weili

On 10 January, good news came from the 2019 national science and technology award conference held in Beijing: ‘offshore large suction dredging equipment research, development and industrialization’ project led by Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and completed by Jiangsu Haixin Heavy Industries Co., Ltd and Jiangsu Haihong Construction Engineering Co., Ltd won the grand prize of National Science and Technology Progress Award.

Offshore large suction dredging equipment is commonly known as dredger. It can dredge channels, fill soil and create land, and build port. It is a high tech ‘island making equipment’. Since 2000, shipping and marine engineering design research institute of Shanghai Jiao Tong University solved difficulties and developed key technologies, developed more than 60 types of dredging equipment, formed a complete large suction dredger independent industrial chain, made the dredging capacity of China the top in the world.