On July 23, after six years of scientific research and design and construction, the naming and delivery ceremony of the “Future” deep-sea green intelligent technology test vessel of the Taihu Laboratory for Deep-Sea Technology Science was held at CSSC Chengxi.
Attending the naming and delivery ceremony were: Zhao Yan, Vice Governor of the Jiangsu Provincial People’s Government; Zhu Aixun, Director of the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology; Ma Xuchun, Deputy Director of the Office of the Jiangsu Provincial Committee for Integrated Military-Civilian Development; Zhao Jianguo, Deputy Director of the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Science and Technology; Wu Zhongdong, Second-Level Inspector of the Jiangsu Provincial Development and Reform Commission; Zhao Tongbin, Member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy General Manager of China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited (CSSC); Wu Yousheng, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Director of the Taihu Laboratory; Liu Xiaobo, Director of the Ship Division of the Second Equipment Department of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology; Zhao Yan, President of the China Classification Society; Ma Yiyi, Director of the Lianyungang Maritime Safety Administration of the People’s Republic of China; Li Yanqing, Secretary-General of the China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry; Zhu Minghua, Deputy Director of the Science and Technology Information Department of CSSC; Zhou Jianxiang, General Manager of CSSC Chengxi Shipyard Co., Ltd.; Jiang Feng, Deputy Secretary of the Wuxi Municipal Party Committee and Acting Mayor; Li Hua, Standing Committee Member and Vice Mayor of the Sansha Municipal Party Committee; Xu Feng, Standing Committee Member of the Wuxi Municipal Party Committee and Secretary of the Jiangyin Municipal Party Committee; Zhou Wendong, Vice Mayor of the Wuxi Municipal Government; Chen Shoubin, Secretary-General of the Wuxi Municipal Government; and leaders and guests from relevant member units of CSSC.
In his speech, Jiang Feng pointed out that in recent years, Wuxi has focused on accelerating the development of new quality productive forces according to local conditions, vigorously promoting the deep integration of scientific and technological innovation with industrial innovation, especially identifying the deep-sea equipment industry as one of the five key future industries to be developed. He expressed hope that the delivery of the “Future” would serve as an opportunity to work with “city partners” represented by CSSC to jointly build an innovation transformation chain, create an industrial ecosystem, and enhance regional coordination, further expanding cooperation in shipbuilding, deep-sea experiments, and water transportation.
Zhao Tongbin noted in his speech that green and intelligent technologies have become important trends in the global shipbuilding industry. The completion and delivery of the “Future” represent another breakthrough achievement in China’s green and intelligent ship technology. It will become a core asset in China’s “land-tank-lake-sea-ship” test research system, effectively filling the gap in real-sea verification and pilot platforms for ships and marine equipment. This is of great significance for solving the “last mile” of domestic equipment’s real-ship sea testing and application and promoting the high-quality development of the shipbuilding industry.
Li Lu, Executive Secretary-General of the China Smart Ship Innovation Alliance, introduced the “Future,” highlighting its rational overall layout, strong refitting capability, flexible equipment integration, excellent maneuverability, high intelligence, and robust testing capacity. It is designed to support the intelligent upgrade of key equipment and systems, serving national strategies and promoting the transformation and industrialization of scientific and technological achievements.
At the ceremony, Ye Cong, Executive Director of the Taihu Laboratory, and Zhou Jianxiang, General Manager of CSSC Chengxi, signed the ship delivery documents, marking the official handover of the test vessel. Zhao Tongbin and Zhou Wendong presented commemorative plaques to representatives of eight participating construction units in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the project.
The “Future” was constructed by the Taihu Laboratory for Deep-Sea Technology Science and its Lianyungang Center, with strong support from the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Finance, Jiangsu Province, Wuxi City, and Lianyungang City. Over ten units under CSSC, including the 702nd Research Institute, 604th Research Institute, 704th Research Institute, 711th Research Institute, and 712th Research Institute, participated in technical breakthroughs and equipment supply. CSSC Chengxi was responsible for the overall assembly and construction, with the vessel classified by the China Classification Society and registered in Lianyungang.
Since its commencement on October 18, 2023, as a first-of-its-kind project, the construction faced unprecedented challenges, involving numerous new devices, technologies, materials, and processes. The coordination and installation of customized scientific equipment posed significant tests. As a new ship type, the preparation period was tight, with only 2.5 months allocated for steel procurement, far below the standard four months for mature ship types.
CSSC Chengxi assembled a project team with experts from various shipbuilding fields, meticulously planning the construction. As the first vessel to restart production on the No. 2 floating dock line, the “Future” had to overcome precision control challenges during floating construction while establishing a new production line.
As production progressed, issues such as thin-plate welding deformation and difficult equipment positioning in confined spaces emerged. The shipbuilding division collaborated with technical and production teams to refine processes through continuous improvement and lean management. On March 20, 2024, the 1,458-ton engine room block was lifted into the “Hengshan Dock” and precisely positioned afloat, marking the start of the hull assembly and setting a record for CSSC Chengxi’s heaviest lift. After 20 days of intense effort, the main hull structure was completed, and the vessel was launched on May 10, 2024, achieving a critical milestone from design to reality.
The “Future” features many domestically developed first-of-their-kind key equipment, with installation and debugging requiring innovative approaches. The design team advanced 3D modular modeling to standardize design, laying a solid foundation for equipment installation.
During the installation of the largest A-frame for a domestic research vessel, flatness had to be controlled within 0.5 mm. CSSC Chengxi’s team used a mobile boring machine to achieve precise control afloat, successfully completing the A-frame’s one-time lift and debugging. The vessel has over 140 types of cables, totaling more than 10,000 cables and 300 kilometers in length. Despite stringent precision requirements, the design and production teams delivered a highly satisfactory vessel to the owner.
On June 6, 2025, the “Future” completed its sea trials and scientific tests. The 15-day trial involved 148 participants, covering 2,500 nautical miles and conducting 54 major tests with 512 sub-items, setting a new record for CSSC Chengxi. Extensive simulations validated overall performance, power systems, dynamic positioning, navigation, and intelligent systems. Rigorous workflows ensured equipment met or exceeded design specifications, showcasing CSSC Chengxi’s integration and debugging capabilities for domestic equipment.
With nearly 30 years of experience in research vessel repair and modification, CSSC Chengxi delivered the “Future” in less than two years, setting a new benchmark for domestic research vessel construction. The successful delivery marks a key step in CSSC Chengxi’s transformation and upgrading in the shipbuilding industry, aligning with CSSC’s “1-1-7-8” requirements and “CSSC, Leading the Deep Blue” vision, advancing high-quality development.
The “Future” will primarily undertake green and intelligent technology pilot verification, deep-sea equipment surface support, and marine scientific surveys. It aims to enhance real-sea testing capabilities, bridge the gap from technological breakthroughs to market applications, and drive equipment innovation and digital transformation, supporting industry intelligence and green development as a new pillar for China’s shipbuilding and deep-sea technology advancement.
The “Future” is a “mobile maritime laboratory.” With a length of 110.8 meters, full-load displacement of 7,000 tons, maximum speed exceeding 15 knots, capacity for 80 crew, range over 10,000 nautical miles, and endurance exceeding 60 days, it is capable of unlimited navigation. It features an all-electric propulsion system, twin propellers and rudders, bow/stern thrusters, anti-roll fins, and DP-2 dynamic positioning. Compared to traditional research or test vessels, it offers more functions, broader applications, and innovative modular and intelligent features.
The vessel is equipped with advanced deep-sea testing and operation support systems, underwater acoustics, a moon pool, and multidisciplinary laboratories, with 1,500 square meters of deck space. It supports deep-sea equipment deployment, recovery, transport, storage, surface/subsea detection, communication, positioning, and test command, meeting various sea trial and operational needs.
Its modular design provides ample space reserves, strong system scalability, and high interface standardization, enabling easy addition or replacement of equipment such as generators, power distribution, dynamic positioning, intelligent navigation, radar, steering systems, pumps, and valves, along with multi-level dynamic testing.
Advanced intelligent and information technologies enable smart navigation, engine room operations, and energy efficiency. The vessel’s self-developed MarineNet intelligent information system and dynamic testing system facilitate comprehensive data collection, storage, computation, management, and utilization, with ship-shore interconnectivity, offering an open digital testing platform for the industry.
