China has officially commissioned its first domestically developed deep-sea multi-functional exploration ship, Tansuo-3 (Exploration-3), in Sanya City, Hainan Province. This milestone marks a significant leap in China’s deep-sea exploration capabilities, with the vessel poised to undertake missions in 2025.
Tansuo-3 is designed for global deep-sea exploration, including polar regions, and features icebreaking capabilities. At 104 meters long and displacing about 10,000 tonnes, it can travel up to 15,000 nautical miles on a single voyage at a maximum speed of 16 knots. The ship’s large moon pool ensures efficient operations even in extreme maritime conditions.
Equipped with advanced scientific tools, Tansuo-3 supports manned and robotic submersibles, underwater excavation, and deep-sea sonar. It will host the Shenhai Yongshi (Deep Sea Warrior) for regular missions, including scientific research, equipment trials, and archaeology in the South China Sea during the first half of 2025. Abyssal ocean exploration is scheduled for the latter half of the year.
