China’s First Deep-Ocean Drilling Vessel Begins Service.

Guangzhou: China's first domestically built deep-ocean drilling vessel, Mengxiang, also known as Dream, has been officially commissioned in Guangzhou, Guangdong province. This development represents a significant advancement in China's deep-sea exploration and mining efforts.According to Emirates News Agency, the Mengxiang was primarily designed by the Marine Design and Research Institute of China in Shanghai and constructed by Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding Co in Guangzhou. Both entities are part of China State Shipbuilding Corp, the world's largest shipbuilder and a state-owned conglomerate. Construction of the vessel began in November 2021 and was nearly completed by December 2023, after which it underwent a series of sea trials before being commissioned.The vessel measures 179.8 meters in length and 32.8 meters in width, displacing 42,600 metric tons of water. It is capable of traveling approximately 27,800 kilometers and can sustain operations for 120 days without resupply. Designed for scientific exp editions, it can accommodate up to 180 sailors and researchers. The vessel is capable of operating in all oceans except the Polar Regions and can drill up to 11,000 meters beneath the sea into tectonic plates.Equipped with the world's most advanced drilling system, Mengxiang features four drilling modes tailored to its specific tasks. It houses an area exceeding 3,000 square meters for nine laboratories focusing on disciplines such as basic geology, paleomagnetism, organic geochemistry, microbiology, geophysics, and drilling technology.The primary user of the vessel is the China Geological Survey under the Ministry of Natural Resources. It is anticipated to significantly enhance China's capacity for deep-sea resource exploration and the development of essential technologies and hardware. The vessel is also expected to support global scientific efforts in ocean drilling, as highlighted in a news release from the Ministry of Natural Resources.