Independent Marine Industry Advisory

LingChao Kong

Investment & Trade Connector · China's Blue Economy

I help international investors, funds, and trading houses navigate China's US$1.5 trillion marine economy — from deal sourcing and due diligence to structured facilitation and long-term advisory.

10+
Years in marine investment & trade
¥150M+
Financing projects structured
30+
Marine supply chain companies vetted
CN & EN
Bilingual deal facilitation

A decade inside China's marine investment ecosystem

I spent 10 years at Zhonghai Trust — the trust arm of China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) — as an investment manager in the Industrial Finance division. There, I structured and closed financing for marine equipment manufacturers, offshore oil & gas service providers, and platform engineering companies across the CNOOC supply chain.

Before that, I was an industry analyst at Changjiang Securities covering petrochemicals, shipping, steel, and upstream commodities — building the macro-to-micro analytical lens I still use today.

I hold a Master of Finance from Monash University and a dual Bachelor's in Economics & Sociology from the University of Arizona. I'm fluent in Chinese and English, with CFA Level I, fund and securities qualifications, and working proficiency in Python.

Today, I operate independently — a one-person bridge between global capital and China's marine frontier. No bureaucracy. No institutional overhead. Just deep knowledge, a curated network, and a genuine commitment to ocean stewardship.

CNOOC-Group Trust Arm (2019–Present)

10 financing projects totaling ¥150M+, covering marine equipment, offshore platforms, oilfield services, and new energy.

First-of-its-Kind Innovation

Core team member for China's first CCER (carbon credit) service trust — pioneering a new financial product category.

Supply-Chain Deep Dive

Independently completed due diligence and financing design for 30+ companies in the CNOOC marine supply chain.

ESG & Green Finance Built from Scratch

Led company-wide ESG framework development, and founded two green charitable trusts — including a mangrove conservation project.

Where I add the most value

Grounded in real transactions, not desk research. These are segments where I have hands-on project experience and verified relationships.

Offshore Oil & Gas Equipment

Subsea production systems, wellhead equipment, drilling platforms, and specialized offshore engineering — my deepest domain.

Marine Engineering & Shipbuilding

Shipyards, marine engineering contractors, equipment OEMs, and the industrial supply chains that support them.

Offshore Renewable Energy

Offshore wind, floating solar, and integrated energy stations — sectors I invested in directly at Zhonghai Trust.

Supply Chain Finance

Structured financing solutions for marine supply chain companies — order-based lending, working capital, and growth capital design.

Green & Blue Finance

Carbon credit instruments, ESG advisory, ocean conservation-linked finance — I built these products, not just studied them.

Deep-Sea Technology

Autonomous underwater vehicles, marine robotics, smart ocean sensors, and the venture-backed frontier of ocean tech.

Selected transactions

Real deals. Real companies. Real outcomes.

¥50M+

Subsea Production System Pioneer

Led financing for China's first company to independently develop and manufacture subsea wellhead & Christmas tree systems. Their equipment achieved historic first production in Bohai Bay with CNOOC. Full-cycle project management: due diligence, credit committee approval, and post-loan monitoring.

#1

China's First CCER Service Trust

Core member of the team that designed, structured, and launched the country's first carbon credit service trust — an industry-first financial product that opened a new asset class for trust-based carbon trading.

30+

Supply Chain Deep Dives

Independently conducted full financial due diligence on 30+ companies across the CNOOC marine supply chain — from offshore platform maintenance contractors to specialized equipment fabricators. Designed bespoke financing structures for each.

2

Green & Conservation Trusts Founded

Founded two public-benefit trust projects: a rural zero-carbon community development trust, and a mangrove conservation trust aligned with national ecological restoration goals. ESG isn't a checkbox for me — it's something I've built.

Every deal protects the ocean

Business and stewardship go hand in hand. This is my commitment.

A portion of every transaction goes to ocean conservation

For every successful deal I facilitate — whether an investment, a trade introduction, or an advisory engagement — I donate a meaningful portion of my fees to marine conservation organizations.

This isn't a marketing gimmick. Before I started this advisory practice, I founded two green charitable trusts at CNOOC: one focused on mangrove ecosystem protection, the other on rural near-zero-carbon communities. Ocean stewardship is part of who I am.

When we do business together, the ocean wins too.

Commitment in Practice

Donation triggered on deal close — transparent, verifiable, and built into every engagement letter.

Priority support for mangrove restoration, coral reef protection, and sustainable fisheries programs.

Annual disclosure: total donations made and oceans protected — because accountability matters.

Clients are invited to join — co-branded conservation contributions available for institutional partners.

Advisory services

Flexible engagement models. You're not hiring a firm — you're working directly with me.

01

Partner Matching

I identify, pre-screen, and introduce you to Chinese marine companies that fit your investment or sourcing criteria — leveraging a network built over a decade inside the CNOOC ecosystem.

02

Due Diligence & Vetting

On-the-ground verification: factory visits, management interviews, financial analysis, local reference checks. I've done this 30+ times — I know what to look for and what's being hidden.

03

Deal Structuring & Facilitation

From term sheet to close — I design deal architecture, bridge cultural gaps, provide real-time bilingual mediation, and keep both sides aligned through the finish line.

04

Market Intelligence

Deep-dive research on marine sub-sectors, regulatory trends, competitive landscapes, and policy signals — informed by years tracking China's ocean economy from the inside.

05

ESG & Green Finance Advisory

Carbon credit structuring, ESG framework design, sustainability-linked financing — I've actually built these products, so the advice comes from experience.

06

Ongoing Retained Advisory

A permanent ear on the ground. Monthly briefings, deal flow alerts, and on-call advisory for funds, family offices, and trading houses building a China marine strategy.

Let's talk about what you're building

A brief message is all it takes. I'll respond within 24 hours — typically faster. No obligation, no hard pitch. Just a conversation about whether I can help.

+86 175 2127 7127
Based in China — available globally via email & video call