The Women In Marine Biotechnology Forum (WMBF), Chaired by Professor Tang Danling, a PI professor of the Guangzhou Marine Laboratory (GML), was successfully convened at APMBC. With the theme “Leading Change: Women Shaping the Future of Marine Biotechnology”, the WMBF opened with Professor Tang Danling presiding over the opening ceremony. Professor Zhang Wei, President of the Asia‑Pacific Society for Marine Biotechnology (APSMB), delivered an address at the closing ceremony. While, from September 8 to 12, 2026, the 14th Asia‑Pacific Marine Biotechnology Conference (APMBC 2026) was successfully held in Yantai, Shandong Province. 

Recently, the High-Level Dialogue on the 2027 CliMetS & MOCSI International Cruise was successfully held at the Qingdao “Ocean Decade” International Centre. The event was organized and chaired by Professor Pei-Yuan Qian, Director of the Management Committee for the CliMetS and MOCSI Programmes. 

The Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou) (Guangzhou Marine Laboratory) successfully organized a thematic event at the 2026 Global Conference on the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (IDSSD)at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on 16 July

To celebrate the 18th World Oceans Day and the 19th National Marine Awareness Day, and to further promote marine science education and raise public awareness of marine conservation, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou)  (hereinafter referred to as the “Guangzhou Marine Laboratory”), in collaboration with the Nansha District Association for Science and Technology in Guangzhou, successfully hosted the “Explore the Ocean World, Protect Our Blue Home” Nansha Science Literacy Tour on June 6. The event was offered free of charge to families with children aged 9 to 12 and attracted a total of 50 families, who enjoyed an immersive experience showcasing the unique fascination and scientific wonders of the marine world.

On April 27, the research icebreaker Xuelong 2 successfully completed the 2026 autumn joint expedition in Prydz Bay, Antarctica. The joint cruise brought together 97 polar researchers from 19 scientific institutions across six countries, including China, Australia, the United States, South Korea, Belgium, and India. It also marked China’s first comprehensive autumn survey of the Southern Ocean in the Prydz Bay region. Dr. Yongji Huang, a member of the research team led by Academician Si Zhang and Professor Jingchun Feng at Guangzhou Marine Laboratory, participated in the expedition and successfully carried out underway monitoring of sea–air methane fluxes in the Southern Ocean and adjacent Antarctic waters.

On April 24, the Expert Seminar on the Implementation Plans for UN Endorsed Decade Programmes, hosted by the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), concluded successfully in Guangzhou, China. The seminar focused on in-depth discussions of the implementation plans for two UN endorsed Decade programmes: CliMetS (Global Climate Impacts of Methane Seeps, endorsed under the UNESCO Ocean Decade framework)  and MOCSI (Mysteries of Ocean Cold Seep Interfaces, endorsed under the UNESCO Science Decade framework).

In response to “The United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030): Implementation Plan”, the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou) (hereinafter referred to as "GML") has taken the lead in initiating the international big science program—"Global Climate Impacts of Methane Seeps (CliMetS)", in collaboration with 96 marine-related institutions from 42 countries worldwide.