As a key driver of Shandong's transition from old to new growth drivers, Yantai constructs a national demonstration area for green, low-carbon and high-quality development. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

As a key driver of Shandong's transition from old to new growth drivers, Yantai has been constructing a national demonstration area for green, low-carbon and high-quality development.

The city is ranked first in Shandong in terms of the number of key projects, project investment and annual planned investment under the province's three-year action plan.  

With a sea area of 12,300 square kilometers and a coastline stretching 1,071 km, Yantai accounts for one-eighth of China's national marine ranches and is a key fishing area and major producer of high-quality aquatic products in the country.

In 2022, Yantai's marine production value exceeded 230 billion yuan ($31.51 billion), accounting for nearly a quarter of its GDP.

Genghai No 1, China's first intelligent large-scale ecological marine ranch complex located off the coast of Yantai's Laishan district, is a shining model of equipment-type marine ranches in Shandong.

Jin Haifeng, deputy general manager of Shandong Ocean Harvest Corp, said the first phase of the ranch consists of three circular net cages resembling three petals that form a "sea flower" with a diameter of 80 meters.  

Each petal has a farming volume of about 10,000 cubic meters and can increase the cultivation of high-quality marine fish such as Japanese sea bass by 200,000 units per year.

The second phase includes a research and learning zone and 71 guest rooms.

"Sixty solar photovoltaic panels are installed on the connecting corridors, and there are three wind turbines in the first phase," Jin said.  

The ranch also installs a large number of underwater sensors to collect monitoring data for water quality at sub-millisecond level.  

To date, Yantai has formed four marine ranch development belts and 20 marine ranch clusters, and completed 24 large-scale deep-sea breeding facilities and 18 marine ranch platforms.