China to develop deep-sea manned submersibles with 11 km depth capability

Author: xinhua

BEIJING: China plans to develop two deep-sea manned submersibles, able to reach a depth of 11 kilometers, by around 2020, according to an oceanic association official.

Liu Feng, secretary-general of China Ocean Mineral Resources R&D Association (COMRA), said that China will upgrade a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) which is able to dive into a depth of 11 kilometers, and put it into operation after testing.

In 2018, China’s deep-sea manned submersible Jiaolong, which set a record by diving to a depth of 7,062 meters during tests in the Mariana Trench in June 2012, will officially begin operation. The Hailong and Qianlong series unmanned submersibles will be improved this year. The former is connected to the support ship by a wire, while the latter is wireless.

China also plans to develop four other high-tech devices for deep-sea exploration to promote sustainable oceanic development, Liu said.

The COMRA, established in 1990, aims to undertake exploration and use of the seabed, ocean floor and subsoil in accordance with international conventions.

Published in Daily Times, January 24th 2018.

Share
Leave a Comment

Recent Posts

  • Pakistan

Top Chinese military official lauds Pakistan’s counter-terror efforts

General Zhang Youxia, Vice Chairman of China's Central Military Commission (CMC), has commended the Pakistan…

4 hours ago
  • Pakistan

Punjab CM thanks people for rejecting ‘disruptors’

Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Maryam Nawaz Sharif has expressed her gratitude to the people of…

4 hours ago
  • Pakistan

Belarus president winds up 3-day Pakistan visit

President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko on Wednesday departed after completing a three-day official visit to…

4 hours ago
  • Pakistan

Kurram tribal clashes rage as death toll surges past 100

The recent clashes between the two warring sides in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Kurram district continued…

4 hours ago
  • Pakistan

US lawmakers, Amnesty decry ‘crackdown’ on PTI protesters

A number of United States' lawmakers along with Amnesty International have voiced support for demonstrators…

4 hours ago
  • World

Hamas signals willingness for ceasefire in Gaza after Lebanon

Hamas is ready to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, a senior official in…

4 hours ago