China delivers self-developed deep-sea research vessel

China commissioned on Thursday an advanced, multifunctional research ship, which is expected to enhance the country's oceanic and polar survey capabilities.

Tansuo 3, or Exploration 3, was delivered to its user, the Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering based in Sanya, Hainan province. The institute is a subsidiary of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The vessel was jointly designed by researchers from the Sanya institute, China State Shipbuilding Corp's Guangzhou Shipyard International Co and other research entities. Construction started in June 2023 at the Guangzhou shipyard, and the main body was completed in April.

More than 100 domestic institutes, universities and enterprises took part in the ship's research, development and construction. Designers and engineers developed a lot of new technologies and equipment through the project, according to the Sanya institute.

The vessel underwent an eight-day trial voyage in late October and then returned to the shipyard for final equipment installation and some final adjustments.

With a length of 104 meters and a displacement of about 10,000 metric tons, Tansuo 3 has a maximum speed of 16 knots, or 29.6 kilometers per hour, and can sail as far as about 27,800 km on a single voyage. It is operated by 80 sailors and scientific instrument operators.

According to the Sanya institute, the ship is equipped with world-class scientific equipment such as advanced deep-sea sonar and release systems for crewed and robotic submersibles, and is able to conduct comprehensive surveys of oceanic elements such as deep-sea water and seabed geographies.

The ship also has a bidirectional icebreaking capability that enables it to operate in polar regions in the summer.

It can conduct deep-sea investigations and cultural relic excavations from the seafloor, the institute said, noting that Chinese researchers have made several technological breakthroughs with the ship's development.

The new ship's deployment is expected to improve the country's deep-sea scientific exploration efforts, helping scientists better understand the deep-sea ecosystem, geological structures and distribution of marine resources, according to researchers.

Before the commissioning of Tansuo 3, China operated three research icebreakers — Xuelong, Xuelong 2 and Jidi, all of which belong to the Ministry of Natural Resources.