{
  "id": 16846545,
  "title": "China formally launches project to build aircraft carrier-sized ‘science island’",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/28/china-formally-launches-project-to-build-aircraft-carrier-sized-16846545",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-28T04:00:10.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Reuters Business via SCMP",
    "slug": "reuters-business-via-scmp",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3372330/china-formally-launches-project-build-aircraft-carrier-sized-science-island"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "China has officially launched a project to construct an aircraft carrier-sized floating research platform, dubbed the Deep-Sea All-Weather Resident Floating Research Facility. The project, valued at over 2.7 billion yuan (US$405 million), is being led by Shanghai Jiao Tong University and is set to undergo engineering construction. The ultra-large platform, measuring 138 meters long and 85 meters wide, is designed to be self-sustainable and capable of cruising at 11 knots (20 km/h) while supporting more than 200 researchers. Its mobility and permanence make it a unique addition to China's maritime scientific infrastructure, filling a gap left by traditional research vessels and fixed offshore platforms. The facility, which is also a major national scientific infrastructure project in China's 14th five-year plan, is expected to be completed by June 2030. Its twin-hull design allows it to operate in sea state 7 conditions, including high waves and typhoons, making it ideal for deep-sea and far-ocean research. The platform features six laboratories for research in heavy marine equipment, systems technology, disaster meteorology, and long-term marine ecosystem monitoring.",
  "summary": "China’s massive maritime science infrastructure – an aircraft carrier-sized floating artificial island – has officially entered its engineering construction phase. On October 18, Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), the facility’s lead developer, signed a construction contract worth over 2.7 billion yuan (US$405 million) with a shipbuilder under China State Shipbuilding Corporation, according to…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}