A launch ceremony was held late last week for China’s first domestically-built oceanographic research ship to support the country’s deep sea expeditions.

The ship, built at a privately-owned Zhejiang Tianshi Shipbuilding at a price of approximately RMB200m ($30.9m), was launched in Wenling, Zhejiang province.

In accordance to plan, the ship named Zhang Jian will make a trial voyage at the end of May before undertaking its first scientific research mission in the Mariana Trench, western Pacific Ocean, in December.

Zhang Jian will also serve as a mother vessel for manned submersible which can dive 11,000 metres into the ocean for research purposes.