Reviews & Ratings for the Zhang-Jian

On September 23, the deep-sea exploration vessel Zhang Jian returned to Shanghai, marking the end of its remarkable 74-day scientific expedition across the Southern Pacific Ocean. The Zhang Jian, recognized as the mothership for the advanced manned submersible Rainbow Fish, which is engineered to reach depths of 11,000 meters, undertook a journey spanning 9,000 nautical miles. During this inaugural voyage, the ship traversed the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean, ultimately arriving at the New Britain Trench, located more than 8,000 meters deep in the Solomon Sea close to Papua New Guinea. A team of Chinese scientists conducted collaborative ocean environmental research with their Papua New Guinean colleagues throughout the voyage. Captain Zha Dawu reported that the expedition faced numerous challenges, including several typhoons—namely Meranti and Malaka—as well as an earthquake, all of which rigorously tested the vessel’s navigation capabilities and research equipment.