The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) is expanding its ocean survey fleet with a domestic newbuilding deal.
Brokers said it has ordered a 4,000-gt geophysical ship at the Huangpu Wenchong shipyard.
The 90-metre vessel will be delivered in January, 2021.
It is costing CNY 287.2m ($41.5m).
The newbuilding will be operated by CAS subsidiary South China Sea Institute of Oceanography of Academic Sinicam (SCSIO), which already manages two other ships in the fleet.
CAS has eight vessels including another geophysical ship, two oceanographic units and five research vessels.
