China's first intelligent research ship equipped with digital twin technology set sail for its maiden voyage on Friday from Penglai in east China's Shandong Province.

Heading for Qingdao, capital city of Shandong, the vessel will carry out a series of experiments along the way using its intelligent capabilities, including verification of equipment performance indicators, autonomous navigation and operation, and virtual and real interaction of the digital twin system.

Developed by Harbin Engineering University, the vessel, named Haitun 1 (Dolphin), is 25 meters long with a displacement of 1,000 tonnes.

It is empowered by the country's first shipborne digital twin system and features multiple breakthroughs in key technologies.

The vessel features multi-source information fusion and cooperative detection technologies integrating lidar, solid-state radar, video images and sound signals, which enables it to intelligently perceive the marine environment and small targets.

The digital twin technology system, incorporating technologies such as digital modeling, real time virtual-reality interaction and ship-shore mirroring, secures the intelligent functions such as autonomous navigation and remote control.

The delivery of Haitun 1 will effectively promote the practical application and frontier exploration of digital twin technology in China's marine field.