On May 10, the research vessel “Tansuo-1” carrying the manned submersible “Fendouzhe” successfully arrived at Wenchong Shipbuilding and Repairing under CSSC Guangzhou Shipbuilding International for special inspection. Prior to this, the vessel carrying “Fendouzhe” successfully completed the “Global Abyss Exploration Program” Pacific crossing scientific research voyage and the first China-Chile Atacama Trench manned deep diving joint scientific research voyage. Ten years ago, “Tansuo-1” completed its refit at Wenchong Shipbuilding and Repairing under CSSC Guangzhou Shipbuilding International. Ten years later, “Tansuo-1” returns with honors, having achieved fruitful results in the field of deep-sea scientific research.
During the “Global Abyss Exploration Program” Pacific crossing scientific research voyage and the first China-Chile Atacama Trench manned deep diving joint scientific research voyage, the scientific research team discovered the deepest chemosynthetic ecosystem in the Southern Hemisphere for the first time, providing new key evidence for the “Global Chemosynthetic Life Corridor” hypothesis, indicating that chemosynthetic life systems driven by geological fluids may widely exist in the deepest ocean trenches on Earth.
This voyage departed from Sanya on December 6, 2025, lasting 156 days, with a total voyage of over 40,000 kilometers, equivalent to circling the Earth’s equator. The voyage focused on the Atacama Trench and the Mussau Trench. During this period, “Fendouzhe” completed a total of 63 dives, of which 50 dives exceeded a depth of 6,000 meters, obtaining a large amount of biological and geological specimens as well as high-definition underwater image data, laying a solid foundation for interdisciplinary research on abyssal geology, life, and environment.
Prior to this, “Tansuo-1” had made outstanding contributions to China’s deep-sea scientific research: On November 10, 2020, “Tansuo-1” carrying “Fendouzhe” successfully landed on the bottom of the Mariana Trench at a depth of 10,909 meters, setting a Chinese manned deep diving record; On March 11, 2023, the research vessel “Tansuo-1” carrying the full-ocean-depth manned submersible “Fendouzhe” arrived in Sanya, successfully completing the world’s first circumpacific manned deep diving scientific research voyage. During the voyage, “Fendouzhe” completed a total of 63 effective dives, of which 4 dives exceeded a depth of 10,000 meters.
“Tansuo-1” was originally the multi-functional work vessel “Haiyang Shiyou 299”. In 2016, it was converted into a manned submersible mother ship by Wenchong Shipbuilding and Repairing under CSSC Guangzhou Shipbuilding International, and in 2020 became one of the “dual mother ships” supporting and ensuring “Fendouzhe” in completing its 10,000-meter sea trial. “Tansuo-1” has a total length of 94.45 meters, a molded breadth of 17.9 meters, a displacement of 6,250 tons, and an endurance of over 10,000 nautical miles. To meet the upgrade requirements for 10,000-meter manned submersible scientific research, Wenchong Shipbuilding and Repairing has modified the research vessel “Tansuo-1” four times, witnessing the tremendous leap in China’s marine scientific exploration and research capabilities.
After a decade, “Tansuo-1”,满载 abyssal scientific research achievements, once again docks at Wenchong Shipbuilding and Repairing under CSSC Guangzhou Shipbuilding International. This return to port, the vessel will undergo its second high-standard full special inspection in a ten-year cycle, akin to a comprehensive “full ship physical examination”. After passing the rigorous inspection, the vessel can obtain another five years of safe and legal operating qualification, continuing to delve deep into the cause of deep-sea scientific research.
As one of the core backbone enterprises of CSSC, CSSC Guangzhou Shipbuilding International, with its excellent repair and modification strength and professional ship support capabilities, has escorted the iterative upgrades of “Tansuo-1” and all its previous major deep diving scientific research voyages. From ship modification to operational support, from assisting 10,000-meter deep diving to supporting transnational joint scientific research, CSSC Guangzhou Shipbuilding International has always been deeply engaged in the main battlefield of marine equipment construction and building a maritime power, solidifying the cornerstone of deep-sea exploration equipment with craftsmanship and ingenuity, continuously empowering China’s abyssal scientific research and international marine science and technology cooperation to advance deeper and further.
