China's second professional marine environmental monitoring and survey vessel in the field of environmental monitoring was recently launched to commence subsequent construction and testing work. The vessel is capable of conducting real-time, underway monitoring of specific pollutants using onboard instruments and will undertake tasks related to marine environmental monitoring and scientific investigations.

Recently, the 300-ton marine environmental monitoring vessel, constructed under the environmental monitoring vessel project undertaken by the Qinhuangdao Environmental Protection Monitoring Station, has undergone various stages including sectional assembly and welding, hull closure, installation and welding of engine room piping and components, as well as main engine installation and commissioning. The main structure of the vessel has now been largely completed and has been officially launched to proceed with subsequent construction and testing work.

The 300-ton marine environmental monitoring vessel project is one of the key sub-projects aimed at enhancing joint prevention and control capabilities within the "Qinhuangdao Monitoring Capacity Enhancement Project." The vessel was designed by the 702nd Research Institute of China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited and built by Huanghai Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., with construction officially commencing on March 15, 2016.

The vessel is a steel-hulled marine environmental monitoring vessel featuring a single hull, single deck, twin engines, twin propellers, and twin rudders. It has a total length of 40.35 meters, a cruising speed of 12.5 knots, a range of 800 nautical miles, an endurance of 10 days, and can withstand winds of up to Beaufort Scale 8. The main structure is divided into the bottom hold, main deck, bridge deck, and compass deck. The bridge deck houses a panoramic wheelhouse, while the main deck accommodates the survey operation area, laboratory area, living quarters, and anchor handling system area, with the laboratory covering an area of 87.6 square meters. The vessel has a crew capacity of 21, including 11 crew members and 10 monitoring personnel.

Upon entering service, this vessel will become China's second professional marine environmental monitoring and survey vessel in the environmental monitoring field. It will be capable of sampling hydrological conditions, water quality, sediments, and biological samples in coastal waters, analyzing general routine monitoring items and on-site monitoring projects, conducting emergency monitoring and sampling in response to sudden pollution incidents in coastal waters, and performing real-time, underway monitoring of specific pollutants using onboard instruments. The vessel will undertake marine environmental monitoring tasks in the Bohai Sea and parts of the Yellow Sea, providing strong support for environmental monitoring efforts in Qinhuangdao and its surrounding coastal areas, and laying a solid foundation for effective marine environmental monitoring and scientific investigations.