The first-phase construction of the Longwang Bay research and development (R&D) base of the Zhanjiang Bay Laboratory started in Zhanjiang on Oct 23.

The Zhanjiang Bay Laboratory is the first provincial-level lab in west Guangdong province, and its R&D base is located in the Longwang Bay area of Haidong New Area.

The first-phase construction of the Longwang Bay R&D base of the Zhanjiang Bay Laboratory is started in Zhanjiang on Oct 23. [Photo/WeChat account: gdzjfb]

The R&D base is planned to cover an area of 2,000 mu (133.33 hectares), and has a total investment of nearly 5.8 billion yuan ($868.71 million). The first phase of the base will cover 464 mu, including 408 mu for the scientific research institutes and 56 mu for lodging houses.

Construction of the first-phase R&D base is scheduled to be finished in December 2021. It includes the headquarters R&D building, the hydrate laboratory, the offshore oil production system research laboratory, the deep sea intelligent breeding equipment laboratory, the temperature difference energy and deep water laboratory, the marine biomedical building, the marine biological analysis and testing building, as well as the marine biotechnology building.

It is expected that the R&D base of the Zhanjiang Bay Laboratory will promote the industrialization of marine technological achievements, create a new growth driver for the marine economy in Zhanjiang, and attract more talents.