Chinese scientists have revealed plans for a new tourist-centered panoramic-view submersible that will take people on an affordable trip 3,280 feet (1,000 m) into the deep – and they say the first prototype will be ready before the end of the year.
Engineers at the China Ship Scientific Research Center (CSSRC) in Wuxi, northwest of Shanghai, have announced plans for the country’s next tourism destination, expecting commercial launch of affordable trips on these new submersibles by 2030.
“People will be able to travel to a depth of about 1,000 meters in the submersible,” Ye Cong, director of the CSSRC, told state media China Daily during the fourth session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference in Beijing.
Revealing that the CSSRC has been working on the model for four years, Ye said the plan is to have a deep-sea vessel capable of taking four people, three of those being passengers, in operation within four years. And he’s no stranger to the mode of transport, having been a submersible operator on dozens of deep-sea dive missions for scientific research.
Now the aim is to give anyone with a sense of adventure the chance to take short trips down into the deep sea. While most of us think of OceanGate’s Titan implosion when it comes to these kinds of vessels, it’s important to point out that scientists have been making manned and unmanned trips to the depths of the ocean for some time. And China already has submersibles in operation for tourists – but they only venture down around 66 ft (20 m).
Ye told China Daily that the CSSRC team has already developed critical parts of this new submersible, which include a large viewing port – something that’s particularly challenging to master when it comes to deep-sea vessels.
“The model will be a valuable asset for cruise lines, high-end tourism operators and oceanographic researchers,” Ye added. “It will offer discerning travelers an unforgettable experience in ocean exploration.”
Currently, China has three manned submersibles – the Jiaolong, Shenhai Yongshi and Fendouzhe – in operation, but nothing aimed specifically at taking everyday people down to such depths. While the surprise announcement has set engineers a challenging deadline, the director is confident that a prototype of this new vessel will be out before the end of the year for testing, and if all goes to plan, is intended to be operational in the tourism sector by 2030.
But don’t expect to be taking Instagram-worthy photos at the bottom of the trip – the depths reach the edge of the Midnight Zone, where no sunlight penetrates. However, it could be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to glimpse the bioluminescent marine life that call this space home, as well as giant isopods and alien-like deep-sea fish. The intense pressure at this depth, however, has made engineering such vessels with large viewing windows incredibly difficult.
It’s also worth noting that this depth is quite conservative compared to where OceanGate’s Titan imploded nearly three years ago – that vessel was almost three times deeper, and under a considerable more pressure, than what’s planned for this tourist vessel. And China is by no means the only country working on commercializing deep-sea exploration, with companies like the Netherlands’ U-Boat Worx engineering ways to advance accessible underwater travel.
That said, after a few weeks in China’s Shenzhen – which has gone from fishing village to skyscraper-filled futuristic city in just 40 years – this ambitious timeline to reach such a ambitious depth now feels more reality than fantasy. However, even as a scientist who grew up next to the ocean and would love to see deep-sea habitats, it’ll take a lot to convince me to get on this ride.
Source: China Ship Scientific Research Center via China Daily