New semi-submersible shipping vessel begins operation in Guangzhou

The Xiang Tai Kou, a new semi-submersible vessel, joined the nation's semi-submersible fleet on Thursday when it arrived ready for use in the Nansha district of Guangzhou, Guangdong province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The Xiang Tai Kou mainly transports super large equipment that cannot be disassembled, including offshore engineering platforms, oil and gas exploitation modules, large wind power equipment, and even ships. Semi-submersible vessels can lower themselves into the water by deballasting and becoming surface vessels, making them ideal for large-scale equipment transportation, marine resource development, and emergency rescue.

According to the statement, the Xiang Tai Kou is equipped with a DP2 dynamic positioning system and Ice Class B ice zone navigation capability. Construction on the vessel began on September 15, 2022, with a roughly 15-month construction period and a dock construction period of only 120 days, demonstrating a "world-class China speed" in the shipbuilding industry.