The culture of shipping administration originated from the modern industrial practice of Mawei, Fujian in the middle and late 19th century. As the birthplace of modern Chinese navy, shipbuilding and modern education, it carries the spirit of "continuous self-improvement" and "industry to save the country", and has a unique historical position. However, in the context of globalization and digitization, the static exhibition of traditional museums is difficult to meet the needs of modern audiences for interactive and immersive experience, and there is an urgent need for media and form innovation to effectively spread shipping culture. Real-life animation, as a composite medium combining real images and virtual creation, provides a potential direction for this purpose. This design practice takes Zuo Zongtang, the important minister of shipping administration in the late Qing Dynasty, Shen Baozhen, the first minister of shipping administration, Yan Fu, the outstanding student of shipping administration school, and the naval generals Deng Shichang and Liu Buchan trained by shipping administration as specific cases, and deeply explores the creation method of real-life animation and its application in the digital translation of shipping administration cultural heritage. The practical work begins with the study of cultural ontology, and refines the core elements and spiritual connotation of shipping culture by systematically combing historical documents, images and collection resources. These understandings were then applied to the whole process of animation creation, the careful construction of historical narration in the script stage, the mirror-splitting design, the transformation of text blueprints into visual sequence rehearsal, and the capture of high-quality environment, ruins and cultural relics image materials in the real scene shooting stage. The post-production process uses digital synthesis technology, represented by AE special effect processing and layer synthesis, to artistically process real scene materials and strengthen atmosphere rendering and detail presentation, and with professional editing and immersive sound design, the final shape and quality control of animation works are integrated. Based on the real animation design practice of China Shipping Culture Museum, it embodies the design idea based on cultural connotation and oriented by audience demand, and provides an innovative perspective and a set of solutions verified by practical process for the digital communication of shipping culture. This exploration not only enriches the digital expression of cultural heritage, but also promotes digital synthesis technology and cultural heritage. Deep integration contributes practical cases and useful enlightenment with reference value.