VESSEL REVIEW | Genghai No 1 – AI-equipped marine ranch for Shandong Ocean Harvest Group

Construction has been completed on a new type of offshore platform that will be used primarily for aquaculture operations in enclosed areas of the open sea off China.

Named Genghai No 1 (“Sea Harvest No 1”), the facility was built by China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC) for local company the Shandong Ocean Harvest Group (SOHG). The platform is classified as a marine ranch complex for applications that include fish farming, fisheries enforcement, scientific research, and even recreation. The owner said it is the first Chinese-built offshore facility to be purpose-designed and -built to accommodate such diverse fields.

The complex consists of a steel structure displacing just over 2,700 tonnes. The main structure has three aquaculture cages, each with a diameter of 80 metres and a maximum capacity of 10,000 cubic metres. The three subnet boxes are made from ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene material and tortoiseshell PET mesh, which SOHG claims can withstand more than three tonnes of tension and has a service life of more than 10 years. An array of deep-water wind and wave cages with circumferences of 60 metres each have been placed all around for recreational fishing purposes.

The ranch also comes equipped with AI- and 5G-based systems for environmental monitoring, automated fish feeding, and preventing collisions at sea. For patrol and enforcement duties, the platform relies on underwater robots. A helipad is also fitted, as SOHG plans to offer helicopter sightseeing trips for guests at the ranch. Other onboard facilities include a multi-functional hall with an area of 600 square metres, a cinema, a pool, and a dining area.

SOHG expects the platform will be able to welcome 50,000 guests each year as well as achieve an annual production of 150 tonnes.

The platform will undergo further expansion in the future with the addition of a large-scale recreational fishery complex with dedicated facilities for marine scientific research, recreational fishing, guest accommodations, and dining to augment those on the first ranch. The recreational fishery complex will be connected to the ranch via two covered boardwalks.

The first phase of Genghai No 1 formally commenced operations off the city of Yantai in Eastern China’s Shandong province in July 2020. The facility itself was assembled in phases and was finally completed in October 2021.

Click here for more news and gear stories, feature articles, and vessel reviews as part of this month’s focus on fishing and aquaculture.