According to CCTV News, China’s “unmanned ship” with 100% independent intellectual property rights will be delivered this year.

This “unmanned ship” was built by COSCO SHIPPING Heavy Industry (DALIAN) Co., Ltd. for Dalian Maritime University. It is the first global new dual-purpose ship of intelligent research and training that combines remote control, autonomous navigation, and teaching practice. With full coverage of intelligence and deep integration of driving, machinery, and electricity, it is a marine-mobile intelligent ship test and verification platform with world-leading intelligence level.

We can build more intelligent and complex ships. It not only tests our shipbuilding process and technology, but also tests our management capabilities. We need to allocate production factors in an innovative manner to enhance the core competitiveness of China’s shipbuilding industry”, said Yu Dehui, Director of the Ship Construction and Survey Department of CCS Dalian Branch in an interview with CCTV news reporters.

This “unmanned ship”, 69.83m long, 10.9m wide, having a service speed of 17.5 knots and a displacement of 1430 tons, is propelled by two 1500 kW dual full-electric pods and powered by three 1520 kW diesel generators. It is equipped with bow thrusters and anti-roll fins, as well as 50 workers. It can achieve normal scientific research and teaching at Level 4 sea conditions, and safe return at Level 6 sea conditions. During delivery, the ship will meet various functional requirements for intelligent ships of CCS “Rules for Intelligent Ships”, and obtain the i-ship(R1,No,M,I) additional marks for intelligent ships.

CCS has attached great importance to the drawing review and survey of unmanned ships, deepened the integrated development of industry-university-research cooperation with COSCO SHIPPING Heavy Industry (DALIAN) Co., Ltd., and Dalian Maritime University, and fully leveraged its technical advantages in technical specifications,  drawing review of ships, and on-site inspection. CCS has actively participated in the preliminary jobs of ship design, technical documents preparation and review, intelligent system selection, and research on special layout plans, helped to solve key issues including selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system configuration, selection of additional marks for intelligent ships, confirmation of important parameter indicators, etc.

During ship construction, CCS has closely followed the production progress, provided comprehensive survey services and technical support for ships, and carried out technical exchanges, discussions, and reviews with relevant parties on “completion acceptance and actual installation of pod propulsion units”, “intelligent ship system design scheme”, “intelligent ship system mooring navigation program test”, “thin plate welding process and construction control”, etc. CCS has also actively helped solve key technical problems, organized training on intelligent ships survey for shipyard quality inspectors, and provided method guidance and standard specifications for on-site construction to ensure the quality of ship construction. The ship was successfully launched on December 25, 2023.

CCS will continue to work together with related parties to complete ship survey with high quality in subsequent ship construction and surveys, guarantee timely delivery of ships, continuously promote the improvement of China’s intelligent ship technology, jointly create new intelligent ships, and provide support for promoting technical research on intelligent ships and cultivating high-level shipping talents in China.