1500 nautical miles!" Zhuhai Cloud completed China's first long-range autonomous voyage
From October 30 to November 18, 2023, the "Zhuhai Cloud" coastal independent navigation demonstration and scientific research comprehensive voyage jointly organized by the China Shipbuilding Group's July 4 Research Institute and the Southern Ocean Laboratory were successfully completed. The total voyage is 1,500 nautical miles, which is the first time that China has completed the autonomous navigation of ships of more than 1,000 nautical miles. 22 scientific research team members from 6 units, including the 70-Four Institute, the Southern Ocean Laboratory and the China Class Society, participated in and witnessed the voyage.
This voyage is from Zhuhai to Dalian (including the east of Taiwan) in China's offshore waters. The sea area is rich in test scenarios, including the Pearl River Estuary, Taiwan Strait, Zhoushan Islands, Yangtze River Estuary, Huangbo Sea, etc., in order to fully demonstrate the intelligent navigation ability of Zhuhai Cloud.
The journey started from Zhuhai and sailed directly to Dalian, mainly carrying out independent navigation demonstration tests. The voyage totaled 1,500 nautical miles, of which the autonomous navigation was 1245 nautical miles, with a total duration of 104 hours, and more than 80 autonomous collision avoidance.
The return trip departed from Dalian, stopped in Shanghai and returned to Zhuhai. Combined with the needs of relevant scientific research operations, it carried out independent navigation in some sections, including independent navigation of 249 nautical miles, with a total duration of 21 hours, and more than 50 autonomous collision avoidance.
As one of the most complex navigational waters in the world, China's coastal waters are complex and challenging. This long-range demonstration test took more than 200 hours and faced challenges such as level 5 sea conditions and offshore fishing areas. In the end, it successfully completed hundreds of independent collision avoidance, collected rich samples of navigation scenes from south to north in China, and accumulated a large number of measured data and practical experience for China's independent navigation related technologies. The "Chinese voice" on the international stage provides a practical basis.
As a "stress test", this demonstration test has greatly exceeded the scene requirements of open waters, fully verified the technical level and system capabilities of the 704 ship autonomous navigation system, and added a strong color to the development of China's ship autonomous navigation.
As the only unit in China that has mastered the mature technology and product supply capacity of medium and large-sized ships, it will definitely develop a new generation of products in the future and contribute to the development of intelligent high-end equipment in China's ship industry.
According to reports, "Zhuhai Cloud" is produced by the Guangdong Provincial Laboratory of Southern Marine Science and Engineering (Zhuhai). It is the world's first intelligent marine scientific research ship with autonomous navigation function and remote control function. The 704 Institute provides the ship with core equipment such as autonomous navigation system and remote control system, series hybrid power system, pod thruster, investigation operation support system, fin reduction, air conditioning system, etc.
It is understood that Zhuhai Cloud was built by Huangpu Wenchong and officially delivered in January 2023. The captain is 88.5 meters, the width is 14.0 meters, the depth is 6.1 meters, the design displacement is about 2,100 tons, the maximum speed is 18 knots, and the economic speed is 13 knots. The ship has a spacious rear deck, which can carry a variety of air, sea and submersible unmanned systems of different observation instruments, and can perform comprehensive marine investigation tasks such as marine surveying and mapping, marine observation, maritime patrol and partial investigation and sampling. Its design and construction implement the design concepts of "green intelligence", "unmanned system scientific research support" and "futuristic sense". The localization rate of the main equipment is high, and the power system, propulsion system, intelligent system, power positioning system and investigation operation support system are all independently developed by China.
