China plans to deploy a manned submarine to explore the seabed in the Arctic region as part of its growing ambitions in the Arctic Ocean.
The 704 Research Institute under China State Shipbuilding Corporation announced that the submarine is designed to be launched through a hole in the hull of the Tham Sách-3 research vessel.
The developer reported a series of tests, including underwater docking and operations in low-temperature conditions, but did not disclose many details about the vessel.
China’s Tham Sách-3 research vessel. (Photo: SCMP).
The report further indicated that China previously relied on foreign technologies but has now developed its own systems, “which can be widely used in the future for polar scientific research, exploration and exploitation of deep-sea oil and gas resources, construction and maintenance of underwater pipelines, as well as search and rescue operations.”
Research vessels operating in polar regions face limitations due to the presence of drifting ice; therefore, deploying the submarine offers a solution to these challenges. However, the harsh conditions pose significant technological hurdles.
So far, only Russia has successfully deployed a manned vessel to the Arctic seabed, during the Arktika mission in 2007. This means that China could become the second country to achieve this feat.
The 704 Research Institute has also designed a set of equipment for the mother ship to support deep-sea research, including a 10,000-meter winch system along with deployment and retrieval systems for the submarine.
The Tham Sách-3 was built in Guangzhou, southern China, with a core mission to utilize domestically produced equipment for scientific exploration.
The project commenced in June 2023, and the vessel set sail in April this year. It is expected to become operational and begin sea trials next year.
China considers itself a “near-Arctic” power and is enhancing its fleet of polar exploration vessels. It has built several icebreakers, the latest being the Jidi (Arctic) that can break through ice up to 1 meter thick and made its first trip to the Arctic last August.
Last month, Wu Gang, the designer of the first icebreaker produced by China, named Tuyết Long-2, revealed that the country is also developing another icebreaker capable of handling ice thicker than 2 meters.
These icebreakers enable China to operate year-round in polar environments.
The United States has expressed concerns over China’s increasing presence in the Arctic and is working to enhance its shipbuilding capabilities. The U.S. Coast Guard is constructing several heavy icebreakers.
Earlier this year, the United States, Canada, and Finland announced a cooperative project to develop vessels for polar operations, including icebreakers.
