The deep-sea large hydrographic survey vessel Hai Xun 08, designed by Marine Design and Research Institute of China and built by Jiangnan Shipyard (Group) Co., Ltd., two subsidiaries of China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited, was recently formally commissioned at the East China Sea Navigation Service Center of China's Maritime Safety Administration.
The deep-sea large hydrographic survey vessel Hai Xun 08 is formally commissioned at the East China Sea Navigation Service Center of China's Maritime Safety Administration. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
The ship boasts strong comprehensive capabilities, rich surveying and measurement functions and methods, and advanced equipment and facilities, as well as opens a new chapter in China's maritime surveying capabilities in deep-sea environments.
Designed to operate in unlimited navigation areas, Hai Xun 08 has a length of 123.6 meters, a width of 21.2 meters, a depth of 9.3 meters, a draft of 5.8 meters, and a maximum speed of 16 knots. It can sail safely in sea conditions up to Sea State 9, conduct drifting measurements in Sea State 5, and perform sailing measurements in Sea State 4. It is the world's first fully azimuthing propulsion survey and measurement vessel meeting the silent level for survey operations.
The research vessel features low comprehensive energy consumption, thanks to an integrated power system, an energy efficiency management system, and intelligent energy-saving equipment. Its diesel engines, boilers, and incinerators meet the highest emission standards set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). It is also equipped with multibeam sounding devices, a 10,000-meter shallow sub-bottom profiler, an acoustic noise monitoring system, an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP), and a fully self-designed high-precision and high-efficiency full-ocean-depth acoustic measurement and positioning system.
A whole-ship acoustic monitoring system was installed on the vessel for the first time for a domestic ship in China. It will provide scientific guidance for conducting measurements in an environment that meets ship vibration and noise standards. This can ensure the reliability of the data obtained from surveys, monitoring, observation, and analysis tests.
The vessel introduces a 3D surveying and command system for the first time, which highly integrates its navigation system, machinery system, information system, and measurement system, and significantly enhances the informatization and intelligence of survey operations.
Upon entering service, the vessel will support maritime authorities in acquiring, processing, and extracting high-precision and high-resolution geographical information data from shallow to deep waters, and from the water surface to shallow sea beds. It will facilitate comprehensive coverage of marine geographical information collection primarily based on navigational data, expand maritime surveying from coastal to offshore and deep-sea areas, and effectively enhance China's capability to provide comprehensive navigation support in deep-sea waters.
(Executive editor: Xie Yunxiao)
