This photo taken on May 26, 2025 shows a scene of the marine ranch in the waters off Wuzhizhou Island in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun)

　　JINAN, July 31 (Xinhua) -- At 9 a.m., a passenger ferry departs on schedule from a wharf in east China and arrives minutes later at a giant flower-shaped offshore structure over the sea.

　　The complex combines marine ranching with tourism under an innovative "blue granary" model, offering visitors an immersive experience including fish viewing, ecology sessions and VR movies.

　　Named Genghai No. 1, the integrated facility beyond the Fisherman's Wharf in the city of Yantai, east China's Shandong Province, was built with a total investment of 420 million yuan (about 61.9 million U.S. dollars).

　　Wang, a visitor from Jinan, capital of Shandong, joined the "Little Ocean Steward" program with her daughter. The child fed fish in offshore cages, observed the harvesting process and learned about marine ecology through guided demonstrations.

　　"Taking my daughter to the seaside used to mean playing on the beach," Wang said. "Now she can learn about the ocean while seeing firsthand how technology is transforming modern aquaculture."

　　China boasts abundant marine resources with 18,000 kilometers of mainland coastline and another 14,000 kilometers of island coastline, according to official data.

　　During the peak summer travel season, coastal destinations across the country are rolling out diverse marine tourism experiences, underscoring the growing vitality of China's marine economy.