Construction of a ready-made meal facility began in Putuo district, Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province, on Aug 28.

The 333,000-square-meter facility, which will cost 2.1 billion yuan ($286.38 million) to build, is expected to consist of intelligent workshops, a logistics distribution center, a central cafeteria, staff quarters and recreational amenities.

Zhang Zhuoli, head of the district's investment attraction department of the administrative committee, said that the facility will play a significant role in driving the district's aquatic products processing industry in a professional, intelligent, and high-end direction.

Zhang added that authorities are also stepping up efforts to attract downstream and upstream projects related to research and development of marine biotechnologies applied to the prefabricated meal industry, the healthcare products industry, automated mechanical manufacturing, product packaging, e-commerce, and cold chain logistics.

A person in charge of the facility said that they will take advantage of the district's marine resources and geographical location to expand the seafood ready-made meal industrial chain.

The project is one of the outstanding achievements authorities have made in exploring ways to advance the deep processing of aquatic products.

The local government has over the past few years implemented a series of measures, including providing financial support, setting up scientific and technological innovation platforms, and cultivating talents, to expand its market shares of marine biopeptides and high-end seafood snacks.