Brief Introduction

The Research Vessel KEXUE is one of the national major science and technology infrastructures to undertake multi-disciplinary deep ocean research. The ship was designed by Marine Design & Research Institute of China, and built by Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Co., Ltd. She was delivered in 2012 and is operated by the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. This research ship will provide a state-of-the-art platform for researchers to address some of the world's most pressing environmental issues.

Scientific Research Missions of RV KEXUE:

l Ocean circulation and climate change

l Marine dynamic process and natural hazards

l Deep-sea biological/gene resources and biodiversity

l Ocean ecosystem and carbon cycle

l Hydrothermal system in mid-ocean ridge and continental margins and deep earth processes

l Formation mechanism of deep-sea oil and gas resources

Chronicle of events

20/12/2007   Proposal of Multi-purpose Oceanographic Research Vessel (MORV) was approved.

31/12/2008   MORV Feasibility study report was approved.

05/08/2009   MORV Draft design and budget report were approved.

19/04/2010   MORV Commencement report was approved.

28/10/2010   Started to build in Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Co., Ltd.

30/11/2011   Launched in Wuhan and named RV KEXUE.

28/06/2012   Obtained CCS Certificate issued by CCS

29/09/2012   Delivered to the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences in Qingdao

01/01/2013   Started sea trials.

24/04/2015   Passed National Acceptance

Vessel

The length of RV KEXUE is 99.8m with a breadth of 17.8m and a depth of 8.9m. The ship has a gross tonnage of 4711 and a range of 15,000 nautical miles. Accommodation aboard the vessel has 80 berths, which includes scientific berths, the permanent crew complement and technicians. The ship is driven by advanced podded electric propulsion system and two sets of bow thrusters. One-man- bridge operation provides almost 360o view over the entire vessel and surroundings. The engine control room is unmanned, and dynamic positioning system keeps the vessel within specified position and heading limits. The linear optimized design of bulb bow, drop keel and bow thruster groove cover provide low noise environment for acoustic survey.

Main Specifications of RV KEXUE

Working Deck and Winches, Cranes, Handling Equipment

RV KEXUE has a spacious working deck, including 438 m² foredeck, 488 m² afterdeck and 138 m² shelter deck. The ship is equipped with winches, cranes, A-frames and other gear for over-the-side work, including:

Onboard Scientific Survey Equipment

l Water Column Exploration System

l Atmospheric Detection System

l Seafloor Exploration System

l Deep-sea Extreme Environment Exploration System

l Remote Sensing Validation System

l Onboard Scientific Labs

l Onboard Network

Water Column Exploration System

   To reveal ocean circulation dynamic process and material cycle flux, and ensure the protection of fisheries resources, the ship can investigate integrately marine hydrological, chemical and biological parameters and their 3D distribution features. The equipment include: CTD, ADCP, Undulating Towed Vehicle, Surface Multi-elements Acquisition System, Multi-net Plankton Samplers and Scientific Echo Sounder, etc. 

Atmospheric Detection System

Atmospheric Detection System can carry on related study of marine dynamic process, air-sea interaction, ocean circulation and atmospheric sciences. The ship can obtain continuously high resolution temperature, pressure, humidity, wind, rainfall and air-sea flux data of sea surface, atmospheric boundary layer and upper air in real time. It mainly consists of Meteorological Continuous Detection and Data Acquisition, Air-Sea Fluxes Observation System, Captive Autoboat, and Sounding Rocket.

Seafloor Exploration System

   Seafloor Exploration System can undertake the task of exploring the surface of the seafloor and sedimentary strata. It is equipped with Multi Beam Echo Sounder, High-resolution Sub-bottom Profiler & Echo Sounder, Marine Gravity-meter and Magnetometer, Digital Multi-channel Seismic System, etc.

Deep-sea Extreme Environment Exploration System

   Deep-sea Extreme Environment Exploration System can enable scientists to carry on comprehensive scientific investigation, observe seafloor topography and collect biological and geological samples in black and high pressure deep-sea environment. The equipment includes Deep Towed Vehicle, Ultra Short Baseline Locating System, ROV, Gravity Piston Corer, Core Sampling Drill, and GTV.

Remote Sensing Validation System

This system can obtain high-quality water property, ocean color and wave information, providing in-site verification and calculation test for marine remote sensing satellite. Main equipment are as follows: WAVEX System, Uv-vis Spectrophotometry, Multi-Spectral Absorption and Attenuation Meter, Multi-purpose Spectrometer Processing Software, Backcattering Meter, Hyperspectral Surface Acquisition System, Hyper-spectral Sub-surface Profiler, etc.

Shipboard Scientific Lab

Shipboard Scientific Lab has versatile labs and professional laboratories, collocating the supply of water (purified sea water, ultra-pure water), electricity (380VAC、220VAC、24VDC), air (He, N₂, CO₂, Compressed air) and analyzing equipment for marine scientific experiments, such as: Ultra-Pure Water System, Automatic Nutrient Salt Analyzer, Total Organic Carbon Analyzer, Inverted Biological Microscope, Stereo Microscope, High Speed Refrigerated Centrifuge, Ultra-low Temperature Freezer, Ice Making Machine, Light Incubator, Multi-parameter Water Detection Instrument, Multi Sensor Core Logger, etc.

The laboratories include:

Acoustic Apparatus Controlling Center（50m²）

Network Center（17m²）

Data Processing Lab（40m²）

Clean Operating Lab（10m²）

General Dry Lab（79m²）

General Wet Lab（64m²）

Chemistry Lab（26m²）

Geophysical Lab and ROV Control Room（28m²）

Gravitymeter Room（10 m²）

Fidelity-sample Processing Lab（16m²）

Chilled and Climate Controlled Room（24m²）

Clean Sea Water Lab（10m²）

Clean Sea Water Pump Room（20m²）

Experimental Sample Refrigerating Room（30m²）

Sample Storage Room（50m²）

And can install 7 container labs.

Shipboard Network

   Shipboard Network includes shipboard navigator and communication, data processing, network management, video monitoring, and shipboard entertainment, etc. It has gigabit backbone network, 100M desk, about 200 nodes and 92GT storage capacity. Network information system can connect 32 video cameras, carry through the collection, transformation, storage, process and display of shipboard exploration data, and monitor remote exploring equipment and engine room alarm; establish shipboard database such as exploration data, navigation data and shipping management information.

Main Equipment