The long history of the university can be traced back to 1909, when the Nanyang Institute in Shanghai established a Shipping Management Section.DMU was founded in 1953 through the merger of three merchant marine institutions: Shanghai Nautical College, the Northeast Navigation College and Fujian Navigation School.In 1960, DMU was designated a national key institution of higher education.Later in 1983, the Asia-Pacific Region Maritime Training Center was established at DMU by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the IMO, and in 1985, a branch of the World Maritime University (WMU) was established.[citation needed] On June 6, 2009, DMU celebrated its centennial, with vice chairman of standing committee of 11th National People's Congress Chen Zhili as the main guest.
The New Gate of Dalian Maritime University, completed in 2009 for its centennial celebration.