China developing new manned submersible

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China is developing a new manned deep-sea submersible capable of diving to depths of over 10, 000 meters.

Using homegrown high-strength materials and new welding technology, the crew's cabin of the highly-anticipated submersible was recently welded in Luoyang Ship Material Research Institute in central China's Henan Province.

“China is the first country to build such a large deep-sea manned submersible and we used thicker materials made up of high strength titanium alloy, which increased the difficulties and posed challengers for welders,” said Lei Jiafeng, research fellow with the Institute of Metal Research under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Welding of the crew's cabin of the submersible. /CGTN photo

Lei and his colleagues invented a new material which meets the requirements for the submersible to withstand the extremely high water pressure at about 10,000 meters below the sea level.

He added that they also mastered the new welding technology after spending one year doing numerous tests.

China's first deep-sea manned submersible Jiaolong made its deepest dive in 2012, reaching 7,062 meters in the Pacific’s Mariana Trench.

But the new submersible is set to break that record.