Chinese laid-off worker builds mini-submarine

WUHAN - A Chinese laid-off worker has won overnight fame after he displayed his self-developed mini-submarine in Wuhan, central Hubei province, on Tuesday.

37-year-old former textile worker Zhang Wuyi, prepares to test his self-developed mini-submarine in Wuhan, central Hubei province, on May 8.[Photo/Xinhua]

In front of the media and members of the public, 37-year-old former textile worker Zhang Wuyi piloted his one-seat sub to the bottom of an artificial pool 4.5 meters deep, where he operated mechanical arms fitted to the vessel to pick up tools scattered on the pool's bed.

Zhang said he has made and sold three such submarines, which can submerge to a maximum depth of 100 meters and travel 6.5 miles per hour for up to 10 hours.

"I believe the submarine will soon replace divers to harvest aquatic products such as sea cucumber in marine parks," said Wang Daomin, an aquaculture farmer from Shandong province, after watching the show.

Zhang himself also views his creation as satisfying a niche market, saying the submarine would greatly reduce the risk of divers working in harsh water conditions. It can also be used for dredging silt built up at reservoir water gates.

Zhang, who only has high-school education, has raised 3 million yuan ($475,323), including money from all his family savings and debts, to develop the mini-submarine since 2008.

He said his plant can now make such vessels in three months, and has received plenty of orders.

One customer has placed an order for a bigger submarine that can take several people for undersea travels, according to Zhang.

"I hope concerned government departments can stipulate national standards for regulating submarine products as soon as possible so that we producers can have a clear mind about the criteria," he added.

Luan Jigui, another aquaculture farmer, worried that people could use mini-submarines to steal his harvest, as the radar safety alert system that he has planted in his sea farms can not detect such vessels.

He said farmers would have to buy more expensive sonar safety alert equipment in order to detect illegal submarine use.