Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding has signed a contract with Shanghai Jiao Tong University for a self-propelled research platform capable of extended offshore stays and relocation between research sites. The construction agreement was signed on 18 October 2026, with handover planned for June 2030.
Known as the offshore floating island, the facility will use two hulls in a semi-submersible configuration. The university’s September tender notice named Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding as the successful bidder and specified delivery on 25 June 2030. The award was valued at RMB 2.763 billion.
The Maritime Executive reports an overall length of 138 metres, a beam of 85 metres and a main deck height of 45 metres. University specifications give a maximum displacement of approximately 74,000 tonnes, a design speed of 11 knots and capacity for 238 people.
The university specifies operation in sea state 7 and survival in force-17 typhoon conditions. The platform is intended to support lengthy research deployments in difficult offshore conditions while retaining the ability to move between locations.
Six laboratories and an offshore operations support centre will be installed aboard. Their work will cover heavy marine equipment and associated systems, observations of hazardous marine weather, and extended monitoring of marine ecosystems.
Shore facilities at Changxing in Shanghai and Sanya in Hainan will support maintenance, operations and command functions.
