More information and photos of the ship in the link below
An aerial drone photo shows the Meng Xiang, China's first domestically designed and built deep-ocean drilling vessel, in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, Nov. 17, 2024. The Meng Xiang, China's first domestically designed and built deep-ocean drilling vessel with a maximum drilling depth of 11 kilometers was officially commissioned in the southern Chinese metropolis of Guangzhou on Sunday, marking a significant stride to reach where humanity has never ventured before. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei)
As China's largest scientific research vessel, the Meng Xiang measures 179.8 meters in length and 32.8 meters in width, with a displacement of 42,600 tonnes. It boasts a range of 15,000 nautical miles, a self-supportability for 120 days, and a capacity to accommodate 180 people.
"The deep-earth core samples it retrieves will provide global scientists with direct evidence to study plate tectonics, oceanic crust evolution, ancient marine climates, and the evolution of life," said Xu Zhenqiang, director of Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey under China Geological Survey. "It will aid humanity in better understanding, protecting, and utilizing the oceans."
The vessel is the first in the world to integrate functions such as deep-ocean scientific drilling, oil and gas exploration, and natural gas hydrate investigation and trial extraction. After two rounds of sea trials, its key performance indicators exceeded design expectations, according to Zhang Haibin, chief designer of the Meng Xiang.
Guests visit the Meng Xiang, China's first domestically designed and built deep-ocean drilling vessel, in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, Nov. 17, 2024.
This photo shows drilling facilities of the Meng Xiang, China's first domestically designed and built deep-ocean drilling vessel, in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, Nov. 17, 2024.
This photo shows the bridge of the Meng Xiang, China's first domestically designed and built deep-ocean drilling vessel, in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, Nov. 17, 2024.