As　a　solution　of　the　sludge　loss　in　the　treatment　of　saline　wastewater,　the　granulation　of　halophilic　sludge　was　explored　in　this　study.　The　inoculated　estuarine　sediment　was　granulated　to　an　average　diameter　of　1155　+/-　102　mu　m　under　the　selective　settling　pressure　in　the　airlift　sequencing　batch　reactor　(SBR)　when　the　influent　organic　loading　rate　(OLR)　was　doubled　to　0.36　g　COD/L.　day.　The　results　indicated　that　the　OLR　doubled　the　amount　of　total　extracellular　polymeric　substance　(EPS)　and　that　protein　was　predominant　in　the　EPS　(72.8　+/-　2.0%).　The　correlation　between　aggregate　size　and　protein　content　was　better　than　that　between　aggregate　size　and　polysaccharide　content.　The　amount　of　alginate-like　exopolysaccharides　(ALE)　increased　linearly　at　the　mature　granular　stage,　co-occurring　with　the　compact　and　elastic　structure　of　the　granules.　According　to　the　results　of　16S　rRNA　high　-throughput　sequencing,　the　Shannon-Weaver　index　of　mature　granule　decreased　by　＞50%　compared　to　the　inoculated　sediment.　Bacteria　of　Propionibacteriaceae　family　constituted　34%　of　the　population　in　granules　and　were　in　symbiotic　relationship　with　halophiles　of　family　Rhodocyclaceae,　Vibrionaceae,　Flavobacteriaceae,　and　Cryomorphaceae.　The　aerobic　halophilic　granular　sludge　showed　COD　removal　efficiency　of　90.9　+/-　0.8%　and　ammonia　removal　efficiency　of　72.6　+/-　4.0%　for　30　g/t　saline　wastewater.　An　average　nitrite　accumulation　ratio　of　94.5　+/-　2.9%　was　observed　during　nitrification.　Granulation　of　halophilic　sludge　provides　an　effective　solution　to　the　saline　sludge　loss　problem,　which　is　a　step　forward　to　realize　the　biological　treatment　of　saline　wastewater　by　halophiles.　(C)　2019　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.