On April 20th, China's first deep sea multi-functional scientific research and archaeological vessel was launched at Nansha in Guangzhou.
The construction of this vessel began on June 25th, 2023. It is the first comprehensive vessel for scientific research designed and built independently by Chinese engineers, capable of supporting deep-sea manned diving operations in ice zones. The launch of this vessel signifies significant progress made by China in the independent design of deep-sea equipment and ships for scientific research in ice zones.
The vessel boasts a length of around 104 meters, a draft displacement of around 10,000 tons, and a maximum speed of 16 knots, and is equipped with capabilities of bidirectional ice-breaking at the bow and stern, and ice strengthening at PC4 level. It has an operating range of 15,000 nautical miles and can accommodate 80 crew members.
During the construction process of this vessel, engineers made significant breakthroughs in technologies such as the overall design technology for vessels operating in icy regions, intelligent control, low-temperature precise compensation, and integrated design of load and heavy load structures in ice zones.
Next, the vessel will undergo equipment debugging, system integration, installation and decoration of living areas, sea trials, and scientific research equipment trials, with plans for delivery in early 2025.