On July 20th, the world's first 80,000-tonne marine-type aquaculture vessel, "Senhai Pioneer", was officially delivered. The vessel was invested and constructed by Senhai Muge (Zhejiang) Marine Technology Co., Ltd., organized and implemented by the Specialized Office for the Construction of Marine-Type Aquaculture Vessels of China State Shipbuilding Corporation, and modified and built by Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co., Ltd.
The successful delivery of "Senhai Pioneer" not only marks that China State Shipbuilding Corporation has established a three-industry integration model in the marine field, which combines equipment manufacturing, fishery aquaculture and marine services, but also explores a new model of marine economic innovation characterized by central enterprise leadership and multi-dimensional collaboration, providing a practical example for the implementation of the concept of community with a shared future for the oceans.
The "Senhai Pioneer" is 224.9 meters in length, 32.2 meters in width and 18.5 meters in depth. It has seven fish farming compartments with a total water volume of nearly 80,000 cubic meters and can accommodate 30 people. It is registered with China Classification Society and flies the Five-Star Red Flag. As the world's first fish farming vessel with side openings and sea-connected fish farming compartments, it has the ability to navigate independently in international waters and can withstand certain sea conditions to move with the seasons. It has multiple functions such as fish farming, feed processing and live fish transportation.
The vessel was transformed from a Panamax bulk carrier. Under the premise of retaining sufficient buoyancy and structural strength, openings were made on the side and bottom of the ship to connect the fish farming water with the sea and to carry out intelligent upgrades. After the transformation, the ship's structure is close to the original ocean-going vessel's strength, and it combines the characteristics of large ocean-going vessels with the natural water exchange capacity of fish cages. It can withstand winds and waves up to level 17 and has a design service life of no less than 20 years. It is the world's first fish farming vessel to be fully certified by China Classification Society. It features mature and reliable equipment technology, low cost and high efficiency, strong adaptability to deep-sea environments and multiple expandable functions.
The transformation of large and old ships into marine-scale aquaculture vessels for specific purposes is an innovative practice of China Ship Group. Guided by the special project for marine-scale aquaculture vessels, it represents another innovative model for the targeted high-value utilization of existing ships worldwide and the development of deep-sea natural resources.
Since 2017, China Ship Group has collaborated with industry leaders such as Dongfang Fisheries and China Classification Society to jointly research and develop, and jointly hold over 20 domestic and international patents related to marine-scale aquaculture vessels. This has supported the establishment of technical standards and norms for marine-scale aquaculture vessels by the country and the industry, setting a new benchmark for the global ship reuse industry. Currently, there are no less than 1,500 domestic and foreign large and old ships suitable for transformation into marine-scale aquaculture vessels, with the potential to drive a trillion-dollar industry scale. In the future, China Ship Group will focus on the development needs and natural environment characteristics of the three important directions of the deep sea, such as the Yellow Sea, East China Sea, and South China Sea, continuously iterate and optimize a series of engineering technical solutions for marine-scale aquaculture vessels, and explore a self-sustaining deep-sea natural resource development model.
During the project construction process, Dalian Shipbuilding developed a scientific modification plan and completed the high-quality transformation of the old ship in less than three months. The ship can ensure year-round production through north-south cruising, compartment based aquaculture, and other methods. It can also move to avoid disasters such as typhoons, red tides, and fish diseases; Through technology models such as compartment aquaculture, north-south relay, and overseas cruising, combined with the characteristics of farmed fish species, 2280 to 2800 tons of high-quality fish can be produced annually in the deep and open sea areas from the Yellow Sea to the East China Sea; Various equipment can be installed in spaces such as cabins and decks to enrich production methods and enhance economic benefits.
In the future, Dalian Shipbuilding will uphold the concept of safety, environmental protection, intelligence and efficiency, and promote the green and low-carbon development of the marine economy. Based on the special project of open sea aquaculture factory ship, by creating an integrated development model of blue granary and green energy, focusing on the direction of deep and offshore, supporting the sustainable development of China's 3 million marine land area, taking practical actions to fulfill the responsibility of central enterprises, contributing to marine power to promote Chinese path to modernization, and writing a new chapter in managing the ocean!