QIMG is a professional research institution under the auspices of China Geological Survey. It was established in the beginning in Nanjing in 1964, and re-established in Qingdao in 1979.

The institute has 234 employees, among whom 184 are scientists including 95 Senior Research Fellows and Associate Research Fellows, and 53 Middle Rank Researchers.

There are 7 research divisions in the institute. Attached there are the key laboratory of MLR for offshore oil and gas and marine environment, the Key Laboratory on Marine Geo-resources and the Platform for Simulation and Experiment of Marine Hydrocarbon and Mineral Rresources under Qingdao State Laboratory of Marine Sciences and Technology, the Marine Geology Prospecting Service and the Testing Center for Jade and Gems. The institute passed the examination of the National Quality Control System of 1809001 in 2001.

Direction: The institute is a state-owned marine geological research institution aiming at basic, strategic and public research and the assessment of marine geo-resources and geo-environment. Upon the basis of offshore regional geological investigation, the institute is mandated to carry out marine geological survey and scientific researches with emphasis on marine geo-resources and coastal and offshore geo-environments in the marine territory of China.

Objectives: We will try hard to make the institute a solid and efficient professional institution, well known within or out of China, with clear scientific targets, rationale team structure, and the capacity of sustainable development within 10—15 years. We will foster a strong, capable, knowledgeable and high level team equipped with upgraded equipment, and make the institute a national marine research center, marine experiment and testing center and marine information and data center.