• Unmanned ship launched on Wednesday can carry dozens of drones, unmanned ships and submersibles to create a powerful ocean research tool, state journal says
  • 88-metre vessel can reportedly quickly intercept, besiege and expel invasive targets

The unmanned ship, which can be controlled remotely and navigate autonomously in open water, will be a powerful tool for the nation to carry out marine scientific research and observation, according to the state-run Science and Technology Daily.

It comes as artificial intelligence plays an increasingly important role in maintaining maritime security, controlling sea lanes and competing for marine resources. China aims to use AI technology to expand its maritime influence.

Zhu Hai Yun is expected to be delivered by the end of this year. Photo: Weibo

The world’s first ship with an intelligent unmanned system was launched in Guangzhou, South China’s Guangdong Province on Wednesday. 

The ship, which was developed by the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory in Zhuhai, Guangdong, is the world’s first scientific research ship capable of remote control and autonomous navigation in open waters. It will provide an unprecedented tool for China to carry out marine scientific research and promote the development of the marine economy, according to China Central Television. 

The unmanned ship, which can be controlled remotely and navigate autonomously in open water, will be a powerful tool for the nation to carry out marine scientific research and observation, according to the state-run Science and Technology Daily.

Construction of the ship, named Zhu Hai Yun, was started in July last year in Guangzhou by the Huangpu Wenchong Shipyard, a subsidiary of China’s largest shipbuilding company the China State Shipbuilding Corporation. It is expected to be delivered by the end of this year after completing sea trials.

The wide deck of the ship can carry dozens of unmanned vehicles, including drones, unmanned ships and submersibles, and the equipment will be able to form a network to observe targets, according to the report.

The equipment is part of the vessel’s Intelligent Mobile Ocean Stereo Observing System (IMOSOS) developed by the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai).

The system is also the world’s first. Science and Technology Daily said it could serve as an efficient tool for marine disaster prevention and mitigation, marine environment monitoring, offshore wind farm maintenance and providing accurate marine information.

“The intelligent, unmanned ship is a beautiful, new ‘marine species’ that will bring revolutionary changes for ocean observation,” Chen Dake, director of the laboratory, was quoted as saying by the Science and Technology Daily in 2021.

The equipment on the ship is highly localized, and the core elements such as power system, propulsion system, and operation support system have all been independently developed by Chinese scientists.

The ship, named “Zhu Hai Yun”, has a length of 88.5 meters, a width of 14 meters and a depth of 6.1 meters, with a designed displacement of about 2,000 tonnes and a maximum speed of 18 knots, and an economic speed of 13 knots. 

The world’s first ship with an intelligent unmanned system was launched in Guangzhou, South China’s Guangdong Province on Wednesday. 

With a spacious deck, the ship can carry a dozen different observation instruments. Construction of the ship began on July 20, 2021 and it is expected to be put into use by the end of this year. 

In the future, the application of the ship will be of great significance for changing the traditional ocean observation mode, obtaining real-time three-dimensional ocean observation data, improving the efficiency and level of ocean observation, and also contributing to the training of high-end marine scientific and technological talent and further enhancing the capability of ocean scientific and technological innovation.