The power of China's new marine equipment

In the journey of mankind towards the ocean, new marine equipment is like a giant ship breaking through the waves, carrying the dual mission of scientific and technological innovation and industrial transformation. From floating wind power platforms to intelligent aquaculture vessels, from deep-sea detectors to hydrogen-powered ships, this equipment not only redefines the boundaries of marine development, but also becomes the core engine for promoting high-quality development of the marine economy.

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1. Energy Revolution: The Rise of Offshore New Energy Equipment

In the wave of global energy transformation, offshore new energy equipment is reshaping the marine energy landscape at an astonishing speed. China's offshore wind power installed capacity has soared from 1.6GW in 2016 to 37.3GW in 2023, ranking first in the world. Behind this leapfrog development are the continuous breakthroughs in equipment such as self-elevating wind power installation platforms and modular booster stations. What is more noteworthy is that floating wind power technology is moving from experiments to commercial use - the million-kilowatt floating wind power project in Wanning, Hainan uses a semi-submersible foundation, and its innovative hydrodynamic optimization design increases its typhoon resistance by 40%, indicating that my country has mastered the core technology for deep-sea wind power development.

In the field of ocean energy development, multi-energy complementary systems have emerged. The megawatt-level floating wave energy power generation device "Nankun" in Zhuhai, Guangdong, which is in trial operation, achieves an annual power generation of 2.2 million kWh through efficient pneumatic conversion technology, which is equivalent to providing clean electricity for 3,000 households. The coupling application of this "sea power bank" with wind power and photovoltaics is building a new paradigm for offshore energy islands.

2. Blue Granary: Breakthrough of Intelligent Breeding Equipment

When traditional offshore aquaculture encounters environmental pressure, new marine equipment has opened up the "deep blue fishery" revolution. The "Guoxin No. 1" aquaculture ship built in Qingdao cruises in the Yellow Sea with a volume of 100,000 tons. Through intelligent feeding and environmental monitoring systems, it realizes factory breeding of large yellow croaker, with an annual output of 3,700 tons, equivalent to one-third of the annual catch of Chagan Lake. Even more impressive is the "Genghai No. 1" marine ranch, whose salmon cages use 5G+Beidou positioning to achieve precise feeding of bait and health monitoring of fish schools, increasing the breeding density to 8 times that of traditional cages.

In the South China Sea, the wave energy-photovoltaic-energy storage integrated platform developed by the Guangzhou Institute of Energy of the Chinese Academy of Sciences not only provides continuous power for aquaculture equipment, but its 5G base station also makes it possible to transmit deep-sea data in real time. This innovative model of "energy-communication-aquaculture" is reshaping the economic ecology of marine ranches.

3. Deep-sea exploration: technological breakthrough of high-end equipment

In the exploration of the 10,000-meter abyss, China's independently developed "Struggler" manned submersible set a new Chinese manned deep diving record of 10,909 meters. Its titanium alloy manned cabin spherical shell achieves millimeter-level accuracy through electron beam welding technology, and the fatigue strength of the pressure-resistant shell is increased by 30%. The accompanying "Exploration No. 2" scientific research vessel, equipped with domestic phased array sonar and deep-sea lander, has built a full-dimensional detection system from the water surface to the seabed.

Breakthroughs have also been made in the field of industrial-grade underwater robots. Deep Blue's "Puffer IV" ROV has an operating depth of 3,000 meters, is equipped with a seven-function robotic arm and an ultra-short baseline positioning system, and has participated in pipeline inspection tasks in the combustible ice mining area in the South China Sea. In Zhoushan Fishery, these "deep-sea engineers" are scanning submarine optical cables at a speed of 2,000 kilometers per year, with a fault location accuracy of meters.

4. Green Shipping: A Revolutionary Change in Ship Power

At the mouth of the Yangtze River, the world's largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fuel container ship "CMA CGM Jacques Sadd" is undergoing refueling operations. Its WinGD dual-fuel main engine uses low-pressure direct injection technology to reduce methane escape rate by 80% and sulfur oxide emissions by 99%. What is more worth looking forward to is that the ammonia fuel-ready bulk carrier built by Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding has obtained principal certification, and its ammonia fuel storage tank is lined with nickel-based alloy and can be safely stored at a low temperature of -33°C.

In the field of intelligent shipping, the "Zhifei" unmanned container ship developed by Dalian Maritime University completed a trial voyage in the Qiongzhou Strait. The ship is equipped with Beidou high-precision positioning and visual perception systems, which can still achieve autonomous collision avoidance under poor visibility conditions, indicating that my country has ranked among the world's top in the field of autonomous ship navigation technology.

5. Industrial integration: economic empowerment of equipment innovation

The development of new marine equipment is giving birth to new forms of cross-border integration. In the waters of Yantai, the coordinated operation of the "Blue Whale 2" drilling platform and the offshore wind farm has increased the self-sufficiency rate of drilling operations to 75%, and the cost of a single well has dropped by 18%. This "oil and gas + new energy" mix and match model has opened up a new track for traditional marine equipment companies.

In Qingdao Port, the automated container terminal equipment developed by Zhenhua Heavy Industries has achieved full unmanned operation. Its 5G+Beidou positioning system enables the positioning accuracy of the yard crane to reach ±2 cm, and the operating efficiency is 30% higher than that of traditional terminals. The more far-reaching impact is that the digital twin system formed by this intelligent equipment is providing a "Chinese solution" for global ports.

Standing at a new historical position, new marine equipment has become an important fulcrum for the construction of a maritime power. From energy development to food security, from deep-sea exploration to green shipping, every technological breakthrough is expanding the boundaries of human cognition. When Beidou navigation meets wave power generation, and when artificial intelligence meets deep-sea equipment, a smarter, greener and more sustainable ocean future is moving from blueprints to reality. In this journey of striving for excellence in the sea, China's marine equipment manufacturing industry is sailing towards the deep blue sea of stars with innovation as its oar and collaboration as its sail.