April 19, 2025 — Suzhou Industrial Park Allfirst Gas Equipment Co., Ltd. (Allfirst) and Northwestern Polytechnical University (NPU) took a landmark step in marine hydrogen energy collaboration. On this day, Allfirst’s delegation, led by Deputy General Manager Long Yuan, Technical Deputy Chief Xu Li, and Deputy Chief of Electrolyzer Technology Li Tianxi, visited NPU to sign an agreement establishing the Marine Hydrogen Energy and Hydrogen Production Technology Innovation Center, followed by an official unveiling ceremony. This marks a new chapter in university-enterprise cooperation between the two parties.  

The signing ceremony received high-level attention from NPU leadership, with Yang Xiao, Deputy Secretary of the University Party Committee, Wan Xiaopeng, Secretary of the Party Committee, and Yang Kunde, Dean of the Marine Research Institute, in attendance. Allfirst, a leading domestic R&D and manufacturing enterprise in hydrogen production equipment, will leverage its industrial expertise alongside NPU’s academic strengths to advance marine hydrogen production technologies and applications.  

At the ceremony, Long Yuan stated: “This collaboration is a strategic move for Allfirst to deepen its presence in the hydrogen energy sector and expand into the marine economy. By integrating NPU’s research capabilities with Allfirst’s industrialization experience, we aim to accelerate the commercialization of marine hydrogen technologies and provide a ‘Chinese solution’ for global clean energy transition.”  

NPU Party Committee Secretary Wan Xiaopeng emphasized: “The joint innovation center exemplifies our commitment to industry-education integration. Guided by national strategic priorities, we will cultivate high-end talent and core technologies in hydrogen energy.”  

Since its establishment, NPU’s Marine Research Institute has adhered to the development philosophy of “demand-driven focus, incremental growth, interdisciplinary synergy, and bold innovation,” achieving remarkable progress in marine scientific research, talent development, and team building. The collaboration with Allfirst will further deepen the institute’s research scope and capacity in marine hydrogen energy, addressing critical national needs in marine energy development.  

Allfirst, a long-term specialist in hydrogen production equipment R&D, manufacturing, and sales, leads the domestic market in water electrolysis hydrogen production technology. Through this partnership, the company will harness NPU’s scientific resources to pioneer breakthroughs in hydrogen production technologies tailored for marine environments, injecting new momentum into China’s marine energy industry.  

The signing and unveiling ceremony not only inaugurates this partnership but also lays the groundwork for future marine hydrogen energy development. By collaborating on technology R&D, talent cultivation, and commercialization, the two parties aim to build an internationally influential innovation platform for marine hydrogen energy, driving sustainable growth in China’s marine economy.  

Looking ahead, Allfirst and NPU are poised to achieve transformative advancements through the Marine Hydrogen Energy and Hydrogen Production Technology Innovation Center, contributing to China’s energy transition and green development with pioneering solutions in marine energy.