Xinhuan-1, China’s largest semi-submersible intelligent offshore aquaculture platform, is now in the final stages of installation and commissioning in Sanya Bay waters and is planned to start operations in June 2025.

The platform integrates intelligent aquaculture, ecological breeding, and marine tourism, playing a crucial role in Sanya’s initiative to shift its fishery industry towards deep-sea operations.

Xinhuan-1, China’s largest semi-submersible marine ranching platform

The project developer states that Xinhuan-1 is 135 meters long, 30 meters wide, and 20.5 meters high, with a total water volume of 64,000 cubic meters for aquaculture. This makes it the largest among China's existing semi-submersible deep-sea aquaculture platforms.

The platform consists of five farming zones with 32 aquaculture compartments and 24 nursery ponds, creating a combined breeding and cultivation system. It is projected to produce between 1 million and 2 million kilograms annually.

Xinhuan-1, China’s largest semi-submersible marine ranching platform

Li Xihuan, Chairman of Sanya Jufu Marine Technology Co., Ltd., said the platform uses a natural seawater circulation system that provides continuous 24-hour water exchange, mimicking natural conditions for marine growth. The platform primarily cultivates high-value seafood such as lobsters and grouper.

Notably, the platform features 24 professional nursery compartments, making it the first semi-submersible cage aquaculture platform to adopt such a design.

The platform’s cages feature a modular design and are separated into 26 independent water bodies for aquaculture. This setup allows for precise control of breeding cycles and supports categorized rotational farming of different fish species.

Xinhuan-1, China’s largest semi-submersible marine ranching platform

Nursery ponds on Xinhuan-1

Besides aquaculture functions, Xinhuan-1 also integrates leisure tourism amenities. The platform has 21 functional rooms, with staff dormitories separated from guest accommodations. It is equipped with kitchens, dining areas, a medical room, meeting rooms, and satellite TV facilities.

The aquaculture deck and the tourism deck are physically separated, allowing tourist activities, staff operations, and fishery production to occur independently without interference.

Concerning safety performance, the platform features a ballast system that facilitates quick surfacing and submerging based on sea conditions, enabling it to operate in waters from 20 to 100 meters deep. In real operations, it has endured the impacts of super typhoons Yagi and Jebi.

A representative from the Sanya Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau stated that once Xinhuan-1 begins operation, it will facilitate connections across the upstream and downstream sectors such as seafood processing, supply logistics, and tourism services. This will create an industrial chain that combines 'aquaculture + processing + tourism” and support the shift of the local fishery industry towards smarter and more ecological growth.

The launch of Xinhuan-1 is expected to boost Hainan’s deep-sea aquaculture capabilities and offer valuable technical insights and operational data for developing semi-submersible marine ranching platforms across China.

(Photos: Hinews / Li Shengfu)