The Institute of Seawater Desalination and Multipurpose Utilization, Ministry of Natural Resources (Tianjin), was established in 1978 with the approval of the State Council. It is China's only national-level public welfare research institution dedicated exclusively to seawater resource utilization technology research. It is affiliated with the Ministry of Natural Resources and headquartered in Nankai District, Tianjin. The institute serves as the National Quality Supervision and Inspection Center for Sea & Brackish Utilization Products, the National Engineering Technology Research Center of Seawater Utilization, the National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Seawater Desalination Technology, the Seawater Desalination and Multipurpose Utilization Branch of National Committee for Marine Technology Standardization, and the Supervision & Inspection Center for Liquid Separation Membrane Product of the Membrane Industry Association of China.

Since its establishment, the institute has focused on key areas including seawater desalination, direct seawater utilization, resource extraction, wastewater resource recovery and water ecological restoration, membrane separation, anti-corrosion coatings, core desalination equipment, seawater and brackish water utilization testing and monitoring, seawater utilization development strategy, and water resource protection and utilization. It has undertaken and completed more than 200 national, provincial, and ministerial-level scientific and technological projects, and has built a number of major national science and technology demonstration projects. As a national think tank in the field of seawater resource utilization, the institute has supported the formulation of multiple national planning strategies, including the "Special Plan for Seawater Utilization" and the "Development Plan for Seawater Utilization Standards." It holds Class A qualifications for marine industry engineering design, and has passed ISO 9001 quality management system certification, national metrological certification, and laboratory accreditation. The institute has received 3 national-level awards and more than 40 provincial and ministerial-level awards, holds over 200 authorized invention patents, and has compiled, published, and implemented 2 international standards and more than 80 national and industry standards.

Its business scope covers the entire process in the field of seawater resource utilization, including project planning, technical consultation, engineering design, manufacturing and processing, installation and commissioning, operation services, and product quality inspection and testing.