Tansuo 3, or Exploration 3, is delivered and launched from Nansha in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province, on December 26, 2024, according to China Central Television

China's first comprehensive scientific research ship designed for global deep-sea exploration, Tan Suo San Hao, or Exploration No. 3, was commissioned on Sunday in Sanya, South China's Hainan Province, signaling an expansion of China's manned deep-diving capabilities to the entire ocean, with currently a total of 1,433 dives conducted by China's manned submersibles to date.
 
The ship, measuring about 104 meters in length with a discharge volume of 10,000 tons, was delivered and launched from Nansha in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province, on Thursday.  It features dual-directional icebreaking capabilities at its bow and stern, with a range of 15,000 nautical miles and a capacity to accommodate 80 personnel, according to the Xinhua News Agency. 

During its research and construction process, various research institutions, enterprises and universities collaborated to address critical technological problems, overcoming monopolistic challenges in designing, precise dynamic positioning under icy conditions and intelligent ship control technologies.
 
The Exploration No.3 has been equipped with a comprehensive suite of polar operation scientific research control equipment, China's largest domestically developed water-tight scientific research moon pool system, deep-sea acoustic detection equipment for ice areas, communication and positioning equipment, and the ship's dynamic positioning system, all leveraging domestically developed technologies.

To date, China's manned submersibles have made 1,433 dives, according to Xinhua. In 2024, the Shenhai Yongshi, or Deep Sea Warrior, recorded 132 dives, according to the data released by National Deep Sea Center and Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering. 

This marks a new chapter in China's manned deep-sea exploration history, highlighting China's internationally leading capabilities in this field, reported Xinhua.

In the past three years, China has accounted for more than half of global manned deep dives, according to Xinhua. In 2012, Jiaolong, China's manned deep-sea submersible, successfully exceeded its predetermined depth, marking China's entry into advanced deep-sea diving technology. By 2017, Deep Sea Warrior passed the acceptance, achieving autonomy in core technology and localization of key equipment.

Also, in 2020, nearly 1,000 researchers from around 100 research institutes, universities, and enterprises collaborated on the construction of the deep-sea manned submersible Fendouzhe, or Striver, which successfully dived to a depth of 10,909 meters in the Mariana Trench.

This year, Chinese scientists have completed manned deep-dive expeditions in eight major hadal trenches across the globe, achieving multiple world records related to manned deep-sea missions and discoveries, according to Xinhua.

Global Times