The China State Shipbuilding Corporation has created the first smart ship for ocean exploration in the PRC in Shanghai. According to the newspaper China Daily, it has been named “Tongji” in honor of the Shanghai university of the same name.

“This is a new generation of 2,000-ton eco-friendly, silent, and intelligent research vessels, independently designed and built by domestic companies,” the publication quotes chief designer Li Zhenghua as saying.

The ship has an electric jet engine and can be remotely controlled from shore. It is equipped with autonomous navigation in open waters and an intelligent energy management system. The Tongji can sail in virtually any ocean area, except for ice zones.

The vessel is 81.5 meters long, 15 meters wide, and has a draft of 6.9 meters. It can accommodate 45 people, including 30 scientists, and can reach speeds of up to 15 knots (27 km/h). The electric vessel has a range of 80,000 nautical miles and can operate autonomously for up to 35 days.