Image credit: China State Shipbuilding Corporation.
China has launched its first scientific research vessel designed for global deep-sea exploration. The Tan Suo San Hao (Exploration No. 3) marks a significant step forward in China’s maritime capabilities.
Guangzhou Shipyard International Co., Ltd. built the 104-meter vessel. It displaces 10,000 tonnes, has a 15,000 nautical mile range, and can break ice in two directions. This powerful vessel will allow China’s crewed deep-sea submersibles to explore all of the world’s oceans.
The Hainan provincial government and scientific institutions jointly funded the project. This highlights China’s growing technological strength in maritime exploration. China also plans a crewed expedition to the Arctic Ocean floor, potentially making it only the second nation after Russia to achieve this.
The rapid construction of the vessel, completed in less than 10 months, demonstrates China’s fast-paced shipbuilding industry.
The Tan Suo San Hao’s delivery follows an active year for China in the Arctic. China sent three icebreakers to the region and conducted its first joint Arctic patrol with Russia. Despite its distance from the Arctic, China has increased its presence there, identifying itself as a “near-Arctic state.” The country’s commercial interests in the Arctic have also grown, with record levels of oil deliveries and container shipping.