China's world's first 80,000-ton deep-sea intelligent aquaculture vessel in Qinhuangdao, North China's Hebei Province. Photo: CMG

China has delivered the world's first 80,000-ton deep-sea intelligent aquaculture vessel in Qinhuangdao, North China's Hebei Province, marking a significant breakthrough in the country's deep-sea intelligent and large-scale aquaculture capabilities, China Media Group (CMG) reported on Monday. 

Jointly designed and developed by multiple companies, the vessel is the first of its kind in the world to receive full classification certification from the China Classification Society (CCS).

The vessel is a smart, deep-sea, typhoon-resistant mobile aquaculture platform. Equipped with reliable technologies, the vessel is cost-effective, highly efficient, and well-adapted to open-sea conditions, with flexible, expandable functionalities, according to the report.

The most notable innovation lies in its scientifically engineered openings along the sides and bottom of the hull, allowing direct exchange between the onboard aquaculture water and the surrounding sea, thereby enabling natural water circulation and a stable rearing environment.

Dubbed a "mobile ocean ranch," the vessel can migrate between the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea, avoiding typhoons and red tide events. Through compartmentalized farming tailored to different marine environments, it is expected to produce 2,280 to 2,800 tons of premium fish annually.

Converted from a Panamax bulk carrier, the vessel measures 224.9 meters in length, 32.2 meters in beam, and 18.5 meters in depth. It houses seven large aquaculture tanks with a total capacity of nearly 80,000 cubic meters. Built to withstand wind forces of up to Beaufort scale 17, the vessel has a designed service life of over 20 years, CMG reported.

Global Times