China constructs new mothership for submersible Jiaolong

Jiaolong, China's manned submersible, is lowered for a dive on June 13, 2017. The dive completed the third and final stage of China's 38th oceanic expedition in the Yap Trench in the Pacific Ocean. [Photo/Xinhua]

China is building the country's first specially designed vessel for the manned deep-sea research submersible, Jiaolong.

The vessel, Shenhai Yihao (DeepSea No 1), will give full play to Jiaolong's technical performance, improving the country's deep sea fine investigation capability, said Sun Shuxian, deputy chief of the State Oceanic Administration.

Shenhai Yihao is designed to be 90.2 meters long, 17 meters wide and have a cruising range of more than 14,000 nautical miles. It will be able to navigate in unlimited global navigation area, with good performance in energy savings and noise reduction.

The vessel will have a 300-square meter lab equipped with devices for scientific research and data analyzing. It also will have an operation system for a 6,000-meter, cable-controlled submersible.

Shenhai Yihao is being constructed to work in tandem with Jiaolong for deep sea investigation. Xiangyanghong 09, Jiaolong's current mother vessel, went into service in December 1978 and is set to retire.

Xiangyanghong 09's freeboard is 4.3 meters high when fully loaded. It is difficult to raise Jiaolong as it might roll severely during severe ocean conditions, and that can seriously impede the efficiency of a scientific expedition. In addition, Xiangyanghong 09 is noisy, and doesn't have a dynamic positioning system and submersible depot.

Shenhai Yihao is designed especially for Jiaolong. It is positioned as a comprehensive scientific expedition vessel and is going to be put into service for deep diving. It may largely enhance Jiaolong's working efficiency.

The vessel is expected to be in service in March 2019, and will conduct a global investigation trip with Jiaolong.

During its latest expedition that ended in June, Jiaolong descended to nearly 6,700 meters in the Yap Trench in the western Pacific, close to its record depth of 7,062 meters made in 2012.

China also plans to upgrade its submersible Jiaolong before 2019, scientists said.