China's smart training ship embarks on voyage for intelligent navigation experiment

DALIAN -- China's Xin Hong Zhuan, the world's first intelligent vessel designed for both research and maritime teaching practice, has set sail from Dalian, Liaoning province, Northeast China, on a landmark 4,000-nautical-mile voyage.

The voyage, which began on Monday, is part of a series of events celebrating China's National Maritime Day, which falls on July 11.

During approximately 30 days, the ship will visit six public-access port stops. Its core mission involves pioneering intelligent navigation experiments — tackling busy traffic conditions near Haikou's Xinhai Port and navigating the complex, narrow channels of Yangpu Port, where constrained widths, variable depths, and intricate conditions traditionally challenge even skilled human crews.

The 69.8-meter long, 10.9-meter wide vessel, jointly built by Dalian Maritime University and China COSCO Shipping Corporation Limited, features six revolutionary intelligent systems developed entirely with domestic intellectual property.

Its semi-enclosed bow and stern are designed to deploy unmanned boats, drones, and research equipment.

Technologically, the six major intelligent systems integrate navigation, engineering, and electrical equipment into a cohesive autonomous platform, said Sun Feng, head of the research and development office at Dalian COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry Co Ltd.

"Simply input the destination port at the console, and the ship can autonomously complete the voyage," said Sun. "Perception sensors deployed on board allow the vessel to make autonomous judgments and control adjustments based on the surrounding environment."

Advanced navigation and communication systems are provided by COSCO Shipping to support the ship's autonomous capabilities.

COSCO Shipping has provided the Xin Hong Zhuan with two intelligent communication and navigation products — the weather routing system and electronic chart navigation equipment, according to Zhang Anming, general manager of COSCO Shipping (Guangzhou) Co Ltd.

"From hardware chips to software algorithms, everything is independently controllable. The degree of intelligence reaches internationally leading levels and will strongly support navigation safety, efficiency, and the security of data and systems," Zhang added.

The ship has recently succeeded in autonomous navigation through a narrow channel under the control of its intelligent system, said Wang Guofeng, executive director of the unmanned ships collaborative innovation institute at Dalian Maritime University.

"The overall testing process also achieved key operations like autonomous collision avoidance and real-time route adjustment," he added.