China's marine economy has posted robust growth and become an important engine of national economic development, though major challenges remain, according to a newly released blue book.

China's gross ocean product (GOP) surpassed 10 trillion yuan ($1.4 trillion) for the first time in 2024, the Blue Book of China's Marine Economy (2025) said. The report was released on Friday in Qingdao, Shandong province.

The GOP rose 5.9 percent year-on-year, 0.9 percentage points faster than overall GDP, and accounts for 7.8 percent of the national economy.

Investment and consumption showed momentum. On the investment side, 4,123 sea-use island projects were approved in 2024, involving more than 1 trillion yuan in investment, up 70 percent and 12.3 percent, respectively.

On the consumption front, cruise tourism emerged as a growth driver, with passenger throughput at China's cruise homeports reaching 1.92 million trips nationwide, more than ten times higher than the previous year.

China also consolidated its lead in marine engineering equipment manufacturing. The country secured new orders for 108 marine engineering vessels in 2024, with a combined value of about $18.6 billion, accounting for 69.4 percent of the global market. This marked the seventh consecutive year China has ranked first worldwide.

The blue book forecasts that the marine economy's contribution to China's GDP will continue to expand, while pointing out the need to further improve the marine science and technology innovation ecosystem, broaden channels for private and social capital participation, and navigate intensifying competition and disputes in global ocean governance.

The publication is the fifth in an annual series begun in 2021 and was compiled by the Qingdao-based Ocean University of China and the National Marine Data and Information Service.

According to experts, the blue book is increasingly seen as a chronicle of China's marine economy growth. By systematically reviewing development trends, industrial structure, and regional characteristics, it offers a valuable reference for domestic policymaking and local practice, while serving as a research window for the international community to understand better China's exploration and progress in the marine economy.