A container vessel is berthed at the Jintang port area of Ningbo-Zhoushan Port in Zhejiang province in July. [Photo by Yao Feng/For China Daily]

The Ningbo municipal government recently unveiled a five-year development plan for its marine economy development.

According to the plan, the city will strive to turn itself into a global hub for the marine economy by 2025, with its gross ocean product (GOP) surpassing 320 billion yuan ($49.23 billion) and accounting for 25 percent of the total in Zhejiang province.

Efforts will also be made to build Ningbo Zhoushan Port into a world-class port. The port's cargo throughput is targeted to reach 1.3 billion metric tons, allowing it to maintain its position at the top of the global rankings, while its container throughput is expected to hit 35 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), the third highest in the world.

In addition, the government aims to construct a national marine laboratory and more than 25 enterprise R&D centers above the provincial level by 2025.

Ningbo has also set the goal of building at least three ocean island parks above the provincial level and 10 scenic attractions or sports centers at sea.

Support will be given to facilitate the reform in the marine administration system to make the city a spearhead in the nation in this regard.

Official data show Ningbo's GOP was valued at 167.4 billion yuan in 2020, making up 18 percent of the provincial total.