VESSEL REVIEW | Nanyou Qihang – Drill-equipped research vessel to support China's offshore energy sector
China's Jiangxi Jiangxin Shipbuilding has handed over a new deep-sea exploration vessel to local operator the Guangdong Environmental Protection Group (GEPG).
Nanyou Qihang (南油启航) has a length of 58 metres (190 feet), a beam of 12 metres (39 feet), a design draught of only 2.6 metres (8.5 feet), a depth of 4.5 metres (15 feet), and space for 36 crewmembers and other personnel. The propulsion system includes azimuthing thrusters and will be able to deliver a service speed of 12 knots and a range of 3,500 nautical miles, or enable the vessel to stay out at sea for up to 30 days.
Full data-gathering and analysis suite plus space for other vehicles
The bow thrusters and four mooring anchors will be operated in conjunction with a DP1 system to ensure adequate station keeping when deployed in offshore waters.
The vessel is equipped with an offshore drilling system, shallow-water multi-beam echosounders, survey and sampling systems, a geological winch with a rope capacity of 6,000 metres (20,000 feet), hangars for unmanned vehicles, laboratories, and an A-frame.
Drilling can be performed in water depths of up to 200 metres (660 feet) while the maximum drilling depth is 300 metres (980 feet) beneath the seabed.
Outfitted to perform a range of research and exploration activities
The vessel boasts three operating modes. In navigation mode, marine scientific research and seabed geological and geomorphological survey operations are undertaken while cruising at low speed. Four-point positioning plus exploration mode meanwhile encompasses geological survey and engineering drilling, CPT and columnar sampling.
Lastly, dynamic positioning plus exploration mode covers underwater deployment and recovery of sensors and other scientific equipment.
Nanyou Qihang will be operated by GEPG subsidiary the Guangdong Nanyou Holding Group in support of the Chinese offshore energy sector.
Design work on the vessel was undertaken by the 605 Research Institute of the China Shipbuilding Group.
