Mengxiang is a China’s first independently developed drilling vessel. The ship is purportedly equipped to reach a depth of 11,000 meters. This depth reaches the Mariana Trench, the deepest point in the world’s oceans, which measures 11,034 meters. With dimensions of 179.8 meters in length, 32.8 meters in width, and a weight of around 33,000 tons, the vessel is equipped with leading ocean drilling capabilities.

The vessel boasts a sprawling laboratory covering 300 square meters, featuring nine sections dedicated to various scientific disciplines such as marine science, microorganisms, and rock magnetic field studies.

With a weight of 33,000 tons and an endurance of 15,000 nautical miles, the Ministry of Natural Resources spearheaded the ship’s construction in collaboration with over 150 companies and institutions.

This drillship, hailed as the most sophisticated vessel for sub-seabed harvesting, is set to focus on extracting a distinctive resource known as “flammable ice,” which is abundantly charged with methane gas.

Gas hydrates, also known as methane hydrates, are ice-like compounds of water molecules containing trapped natural gas, primarily methane. Methane is a significant component of natural gas. Because the methane molecules are so closely structured within a crystalline structure of water molecules, they form a solid substance with a structure similar to ice. These hydrates are stable at specific temperature and pressure conditions found in deep-sea sediments and permafrost regions.

The ship is essential for helping China explore and use natural gas hydrates. This will make China more independent in getting energy and improve its ability to drill under the ocean.

According to the Internet