China’s biggest marine research ship to set out on her maiden voyage to South China Sea
China’s newest and biggest research vessel is expected to make its maiden voyage to the South China Sea in October as part of Beijing’s efforts to boost exploration in the resource-rich waters. The ship naming ceremony was held last month in Shanghai, South China Morning Posts reports.
The vessel was built by Shanghai Jiangnan Shipyard, builder of China’s second and third aircraft carriers. The research ship was handed over to researchers at Guangzhou-based Sun Yat-sen University.
Professor Yu Weidong, from the university’s school of atmospheric sciences, told the Yangcheng Evening News that the vessel would sail to the Paracel Islands in October to study “the steam of the western boundaries of the South China Sea as well as its neighbouring waters … that could provide scientific support for disaster prevention”. Professor Yu added that the research would address areas such as the oceanic atmosphere, the seabed, marine biology and archaeology.
The vessel has been dubbed “a mega mobile lab on the sea”, according to China Ship News.
Key particulars:
LOA: 114.3 m, breadth: 19.4 m, depth molded: 9.3 m, displacement: 6,880 tonnes; speed: 15 kn; endurance: 60 days; crew: 100.
The research vessel has 760 m2 for fixed laboratories and over 610 m2 are allocated for more than 10 container-style mobile labs, allowing researchers to collect samples at sea and analyse them on board, before transferring the data to land.
