China to build world's first deep-sea floating island

China is to build the world's first floating artificial island for all-weather, long-term deep-sea scientific research. Under a contract signed in Shanghai, the project will be undertaken by Shanghai Jiao Tong University and constructed by Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), the world's largest shipbuilding group.

As the world's first ultra-large marine scientific research platform, the artificial island is being designed to withstand extreme sea conditions and maintain long-term presence in the open ocean, while also offering rapid mobility and deployment. It will serve as a research base for frontier studies in marine science, marine equipment, and marine meteorology.

The large scientific facility will comprise three main systems: the main facility platform, ship-based laboratories, and shore-based support. The main facility platform will have a "semi-submersible twin-hull" design. It will be 138 meters long, 85 meters wide, with a main deck height of 45 meters. It's set to sustain sea state 7 conditions and safely survive a category 17 typhoon.

The order to build the facility is worth 2.76 billion yuan (about 413 million US dollars). Developed as a national major science and technology infrastructure project, Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding is expected to begin construction in 2028, with delivery due in June, 2030.