Photo: Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People's Republic of China

Revolution at Sea: China Launches World’s First 150,000-Ton Intelligent Aquaculture Vessel

CHINA
Wednesday, April 23, 2025, 02:00 (GMT + 9)

“Luji Yuyang 60617” sets a new global standard in smart deep-sea farming, marking a turning point in marine food production and ocean-based sustainability.

China has delivered a game-changing innovation in sustainable seafood production with the launch of the world’s first 150,000-ton smart aquaculture vessel, Luji Yuyang 60617. Built by Qingdao Guoxin Group and delivered at the Beihai Shipyard of China Shipbuilding Group on April 17, this vessel represents a significant technological leap in deep-sea farming.

"Luji Yuyang 60617" was put into operation in Qingdao (Photo by Zhang Jingang, CCTV)

Measuring 244.9 meters in length, with a displacement of 150,000 tons and an aquaculture water volume nearing 100,000 cubic meters, Luji Yuyang 60617 is the largest aquaculture vessel of its kind. It is an advanced iteration of the pioneering 100,000-ton Guoxin No. 1, hailed as a "mobile ocean ranch" upon its debut in May 2022.

Photo by Zhang Jingang, CCTV

The vessel uses a cutting-edge “ship-borne cabin farming + intelligent decision-making” system to cultivate high-value species such as yellow croaker, salmon, trout, and yellowtail amberjack, with an annual production capacity of 3,600 tons of premium fish. Its infrastructure includes 15 breeding cabins, 4 circular runway pools, and 22 aquaculture test tanks.

Photo by Zhang Jingang, CCTV

Luji Yuyang 60617 integrates over 160 technological innovations, significantly enhancing its fishability, operational precision, and safety. Notably:

• Mechanisation rate exceeds 90%

• Automation level improved by 45%

• Intelligent decision-making handles up to 30% of farming operations

• Labor costs cut by 20%

• Production efficiency and economic returns notably increased

One of the vessel’s standout features is its intelligent aquaculture system, which enables minimal human intervention by automating key processes such as fry entry, feeding, harvesting, and onboard processing. It is also self-propelled, capable of navigating to optimal deep-sea farming zones independently.

Photo by Zhang Jingang, CCTV

This milestone marks China’s entry into a new phase of standardized, replicable deep-sea aquaculture, supporting a vision to build a “blue granary”—a sustainable, ocean-based food supply chain. A third vessel, Guoxin 1 No. 2-2, is under construction and expected to join operations by October 2025, creating a “three-ship linkage” model. This model will support the growth of associated industries such as feed processing, cold-chain logistics, and aquatic product deep-processing, accelerating the emergence of a 100-billion-yuan deep-sea economy.

 The world’s first ‘smart’ fishing ship Guoxin-1 No.1 was launched in 2022

As the global demand for high-quality seafood surges and ocean sustainability becomes ever more urgent, Luji Yuyang 60617 stands as a bold testament to China’s leadership in marine innovation and the future of aquaculture.

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