China launches cutting-edge high-speed submersible unmanned vessel

China completed a key step in launching into water a cutting-edge, high-speed submersible unmanned surface vessel, the "Blue Whale," in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province, on Monday.

The launch marks a significant breakthrough in China's marine technology and indicates a major step forward in the development of intelligent ocean equipment.

With its scheduled operational debut in 2026, the vessel boasts versatility that enables rapid response to emergencies and efficient application in meteorology, underwater mapping, photography, water sampling, and infrastructure inspections like submarine cable maintenance.

The "Blue Whale" vessel is developed to operate both above and below water. It can reach surface speeds of 36 knots, dive to avoid extreme weather such as typhoons and remain submerged in static suspension for over a month, according to Zhuhai Yunzhou, one of the co-developers.

Construction of the vessel's engineering model started in June 2024, and the process involved pressure-resistant welding, hull assembly, and equipment installation.

The final phases will include internal debugging, mooring trials, and further sea tests before completion.

The central parity rate of the Chinese currency renminbi, or the yuan, weakened 36 pips to 6.9124 against the U.S. dollar Wednesday, according to the China Foreign Exchange Trade System.

In China's spot foreign exchange market, the yuan is allowed to rise or fall by 2 percent from the central parity rate each trading day.

The central parity rate of the yuan against the U.S. dollar is based on a weighted average of prices offered by market makers before the opening of the interbank market each business day.