China delivers its first intelligent ocean-class research vessel

China delivered its first intelligent ocean-class comprehensive scientific research vessel in Shanghai on July 13, 2025. (China Media Group)

China delivered its first intelligent ocean-class comprehensive scientific research vessel in Shanghai on Sunday, China Media Group reports.

Dubbed "Tongji," the vessel is a domestically designed and built next-generation research ship featuring green, low-noise, and intelligent technologies. It integrates capabilities across marine geology, ocean chemistry, and marine biology and will serve primarily as a "floating campus" for Tongji University, supporting both academic research and engineering training at sea.

The ship is 82 meters long and 15 meters wide, and capable of carrying a crew of 15 and 30 scientific personnel, with an 8,000-nautical-mile range. It features autonomous navigation in open waters with intelligent route planning for energy efficiency.

Its modular laboratory design supports flexible scientific configurations, according to the chief engineer of the vessel, Li Zhenghua. For each voyage, researchers can load specialized container labs to carry out studies in marine biology, geology, chemistry, and atmospheric sciences. It also supports marine engineering operations, such as undersea cable installation and maintenance.