Marine economy expands 4.9% in first three quarters

China's gross ocean product hit 8.5 trillion yuan ($1.27 trillion) in the January–September period, rising 4.9 percent year-on-year, data from the Ministry of Natural Resources show.

The marine sector posted stable expansion with better structure and resilience, advancing toward innovation-driven, high-quality growth.

Offshore crude oil output climbed 3.5 percent and seawater aquatic production rose 4.6 percent from a year earlier.

Emerging marine industries delivered stronger quality and efficiency. New orders for marine engineering equipment rocketed 123.3 percent year-on-year, capturing more than 80 percent of the global market.

New seawater desalination projects added over 520,000 tons of daily capacity, while marine tourism grew steadily.