VESSEL REVIEW | Mintou Hongdong – Semi-submersible aquaculture tourism platform for Fujian province

A new semi-submersible offshore fish farm that will also serve as a deep-sea maritime tourism platform will soon begin operations in the waters of Fujian province in south-eastern China.

Built by Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding in compliance to China Classification Society rules, Mintou Hongdong will be operated by local customer Mintou Deep-Sea Aquaculture Equipment Leasing. Design work on the platform was provided by the Guangzhou Institute of Energy Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Measuring 92 metres long, 36 metres wide, and 27 metres high, the structure is large and versatile enough to be used for a range of applications such as marine science, aquaculture, recreational diving, and even private dining and corporate events. To that end, the onboard facilities include staterooms with a combined capacity of 100 guests, banquet halls, bars, conference rooms, and scientific monitoring centres. The structure's size ensures a total seawater capacity of 62,000 cubic metres, which in turn yields an estimated annual output of 600 tonnes of yellow croaker and other species.

The platform is fitted with equipment for fish breeding, automated feeding, video surveillance, intelligent water quality monitoring, and ocean current meteorological monitoring. A 5G communications station is also installed.

The onboard systems draw all their electrical power from wave energy and photovoltaic systems to ensure reduced emissions even with continuous operations offshore. A four-point mooring system meanwhile ensures adequate wind and wave resistance, guaranteeing the safety of the structure itself and its occupants even during periods of extreme weather.

Click here for more news and gear stories, feature articles, and vessel reviews as part of this month's focus on fishing and aquaculture.