The National Key Laboratory of the Digital Ocean, under the State Oceanic Administration, was established on Wednesday in North China's Tianjin municipality to build a national digital platform for marine studies and policy making.

The laboratory will use various technologies and methods to study and build digital models of the ocean.

The laboratory's objective is to guarantee the sustainable development of the marine industry. It will aim, for example, to support the offshore oil industry, and minimize economic losses after natural disasters, such as hurricanes.