China - November 19, 2024 China's first deep-ocean drilling vessel enters service (Voice_over) During the official commissioning of the vessel Mengxiang, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter, celebrating the delivery of the country’s first domestically-grown deep-ocean drilling vessel. With its world-leading drilling capacity, the vessel is expected to help scientists worldwide to drill through earth's crust and unlock the mysteries of the ocean floor. Mengxiang is more than just a drilling ship. It’s also a floating hub of innovation. (Stand_up) Huang Yichang, Reporter: "Beneath the deck, there are nine scientific laboratories." (Voice_over) Onboard facilities allow scientists to analyze fresh samples in real-time. (Sound_bite) He Qingyin, Chief engineer, Mengxiang Laboratory,Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey, China Geological Survey: "The rock cores extracted from the sea floor are around 10 meters long. They are then sent from the drilling platform to the transfer machine, where they are segmented into 1.5-meter sections." (Voice_over) In one of the geology laboratories, segmented rock core samples are neatly arranged, waiting to be analyzed. (Sound_bite) He Qingyin, Chief engineer, Mengxiang Laboratory,Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey, China Geological Survey: "Scientists extract different types of samples based on specific research objectives, then send them to specialized laboratories for analysis and testing." (Voice_over) Spanning over 3,000 square meters, the laboratory area is equipped with world-class technology and instruments to meet all marine scientific research needs. The vessel is capable of travelling up to 15,000 nautical miles and operating continuously for up to 120 days. [Restriction: No access Chinese mainland]