China’s 80,000-ton nuclear-proof floating facility to turn blast shocks into light impact
The nuclear blast-resistant structure relies on specialized metamaterials.
A semi-submersible, powerful floating artificial island is being built in China. The 78,000-ton twin-hull platform will reportedly be able to withstand nuclear blasts.
The facility will be able to convert nuclear blast shocks into gentle squeezes thanks to its unique blast-resistant design, which uses “metamaterial” sandwich panels, according to the report.
The mega science infrastructure, with a crew capacity of 238 people, is expected to enter service in 2028. The facility will reportedly be able to operate for four months without resupply.
All-weather capability, long-term residency
Named Deep-Sea All-Weather Resident Floating Research Facility, the floating artificial island will have almost the same 80,000-ton displacement level as China’s new Fujian aircraft carrier.
The facility will have all-weather capability and be suitable for long-term residency. It will also have systems to ensure emergency power and communications. The facility will be equipped with suitable systems that will ensure smooth navigation control.
The project involved researchers from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and members of China State Shipbuilding Corporation.
Capable of surviving powerfully rated tropical cyclones
What makes this platform revolutionary is its mobility combined with permanence.
Unlike fixed research stations or conventional vessels limited by fuel and supplies, this floating island can cruise at 15 knots while supporting over a hundred researchers conducting continuous deep-sea observations, testing next-generation marine equipment, and exploring seabed mining technologies, reported SCMP.
The 125-foot-long and 279-foot-wide facility will be able to operate in rough seas and reportedly withstand powerful tropical cyclones on Earth.
It’s also feared that once this structure comes online, it could shift maritime strategic balances, especially in contested waters, alarming other regional powers.
The project is framed as a “major scientific facility,” but its capability raises speculation about its military use.
The nuclear blast-resistant structure relies on specialized metamaterials — these are engineered materials with properties not found in conventional materials. While promising, their large-scale real-world resilience (especially under an actual nuclear blast) is not trivial to validate.
“This deep-sea major scientific facility is designed for all-weather, long-term residency,” wrote the team led by Professor Yang Deqing with Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) in a peer-reviewed paper published in the Chinese Journal of Ship Research on November 4.
“Its superstructure contains critical compartments that ensure emergency power, communications and navigation control – making nuclear blast protection for these spaces absolutely vital.”
Resilient presence far from its shores
Once operational, this could give China a novel way to project a “soft” yet resilient presence far from its shores.
The report has claimed that the platform will be semi-submerged, meaning most of the platform will sit below the waterline, which makes it extremely stable even in rough seas. Only the upper deck and laboratory modules remain above the surface.
The structure is expected to help with non-military risks too, such as underwater explosions, accidents, or severe weather forces.
The platform could host deep-sea sensors, environmental monitoring equipment, and autonomous submersible vehicles.
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Prabhat, an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, is a tech and defense journalist. While he enjoys writing on modern weapons and emerging tech, he has also reported on global politics and business. He has been previously associated with well-known media houses, including the International Business Times (Singapore Edition) and ANI.