On April 20th, China's first independently designed comprehensive scientific research and archaeological ship with the capability for manned deep-sea exploration in icy waters—named the Deep Blue Ocean Multi-functional Scientific Research and Archaeological Ship—was officially launched at Guangzhou Shipyard International Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation. The next steps include equipment debugging and system integration, installation and decoration of living areas, sea trials, and testing of scientific research equipment. It is scheduled to be delivered in early 2025.
The upcoming departure of the Deep Sea Multifunctional Scientific Exploration and Cultural Relics Archaeology Ship. Photo by Zhong Wei.
The Deep Sea Multifunctional Scientific Exploration and Cultural Relics Archaeology Ship is jointly funded by the People's Government of Hainan Province, Sanya Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City Development and Construction Co., Ltd., and the Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Construction commenced on June 25, 2023. This vessel boasts full independent intellectual property rights and has made significant breakthroughs in key technologies such as overall design for ships in icy regions, intelligent control, precise compensation under low temperatures, and integrated design for ice and heavy load structures, breaking through monopolies in various domains. In terms of construction, the ship has overcome challenges in high-efficiency welding of low-temperature steel, completed the fabrication and assembly of the hull, installation of power and electromechanical equipment, as well as optimized layout and high-precision installation of scientific research equipment.
The dock is being filled with water where the Deep-sea Multifunctional Scientific Expedition and Cultural Relics Archaeological Ship is located.
The total investment in the construction of the Deep-sea Multifunctional Scientific Expedition and Cultural Relics Archaeological Ship is approximately 800 million yuan. The construction includes the vessel system, manned deep-sea diving surface support system, and comprehensive scientific research operation system. The ship is about 104 meters long with a displacement of approximately 10,000 tons, capable of a maximum speed of 16 knots. It features bidirectional icebreaking at the bow and stern, strengthened for ice areas up to PC4 level, with a range of 15,000 nautical miles and a crew of 80 people. During the development of the ship, efforts were made to domestically produce and control key core scientific research equipment, including a full range of ice deck deep-sea scientific research and the largest domestic water-tight scientific research moon pool system equipment in ice areas. This included indigenous technology breakthroughs in deep-sea acoustic detection, communication and positioning equipment, and ship power positioning systems.
The launch ceremony of the Deep Sea Multifunctional Scientific Expedition and Archaeological Research Vessel. Photo by Zhao Yunpeng.
The Deep Sea Multifunctional Scientific Expedition and Archaeological Research Vessel is expected to become an open and shared maritime platform in China, integrating multiple systems, interdisciplinary intersections, and innovative collaborative actions. Its construction launch signifies significant progress for China in independently controllable equipment and ship design for deep-sea scientific expeditions in polar regions. This advancement will extend China's manned deep-sea diving capabilities from the deep ocean to the entire sea area, while also enhancing China's capabilities for deep-sea archaeological operations.
Previously, the Chinese manned deep-sea submersible mother ships, "Explorer 1" and "Explorer 2," underwent renovation and modification at the CSSC-affiliated Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group Co., Ltd. "Explorer 1" was originally the "Ocean Oil 299" multifunctional work vessel, which had undergone several renovations and maintenance at the CSSC-affiliated Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group Co., Ltd. It served as the mother ship supporting the "Striver" manned deep-sea submersible, successfully completing a 10,909-meter sea trial in 2020, setting a record for China's manned deep-sea diving at 10,909 meters.
