China’s Deep-Water Offshore Engineering Vessel Built In 15 Months With Underwater Robots Delivered

China’s Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries delivered a new deep-water multifunctional offshore engineering vessel built in just 15 months to CNOOC’S offshore engineering unit in Qidong, Jiangsu Province.

Named Haiyang Shiyou 292 and also designated Ocean Oil 292, the vessel is designed to install deepwater oil and gas platforms, lay subsea pipelines and cables, engage in repairs, maintenance, inspection, seabed surveys and emergency salvage operations.

The vessel has underwater robots which enhance China’s capabilities in subsea engineering and offshore operations, enabling the quick transfer of equipment and development of deep-sea energy resources.

The 126 m long and 28 m wide vessel will head to China’s Bohai Sea to carry out offshore oil and gas engineering projects, according to sources familiar with the matter.

With a displacement of more than 17,600 tons and a deck area equal to 5 basketball courts, the offshore engineering vessel, built in China, features an all-electric azimuth thruster propulsion system and a dynamic positioning system giving it stability in open ocean waters.

The Haiyang Shiyou 292 boasts a 400-ton crane and can carry 3,000 tons of subsea trenchers, other equipment and underwater robots.

It has systems such as an intelligent power station and bidirectional heat-exchange heating, which allow for optimal power distribution, reduce fuel consumption by almost 15% compared to traditional engineering vessels, and provide an endurance of 15,000 nautical miles.

The construction of this vessel started in 2024 and utilised digital twin 3D modelling and simulated installation, along with a specially developed precision calculation software, dual-crane coordination and intelligent lifing systems controlled powered by AI.