Photo: CCTV News

A major national science and technology infrastructure project, the deep-sea all-weather resident floating research facility, was officially launched in Shanghai on Saturday, according to CCTV News.

Dubbed the “Open-Sea Floating Island”, the world’s first ultra-large marine research platform is designed to support scientific research needs in fields such as marine equipment, marine resources, and marine science.

The large scientific facility comprises three main systems: the main facility platform, ship-based laboratories, and shore-based support.

The main facility platform features an innovative “semi-submersible twin-hull” design, enabling full-scale testing of deep-sea equipment weighing hundreds of tons and supporting scientific exploration and experimental research at full-ocean depths of up to 10,000 meters, according to CCTV News.

The facility is expected to be completed in 2030. It will serve as an open-sea testing ground for deep-sea mining systems, critical marine equipment, and offshore oil and gas facilities. It is expected to accelerate the commercial development of marine resources, reveal seasonal evolution patterns of marine ecosystems, explore the origins and evolution of life, and improve typhoon forecasting accuracy to enhance disaster prevention and mitigation capabilities, CCTV News reported.

The project is undertaken by Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), which on Friday inaugurated an institute responsible for deep sea science and engineering,
according to the university’s website.