On January 11, 2025, Guo Neng Hai Ce No. 1, developed by CHN Energy’s Longyuan Power, successfully embarked on its maiden voyage in Nantong, Jiangsu province. This marks the debut of China's first fully domestically produced comprehensive offshore wind power detection platform, addressing a significant gap in the country's submarine cable magnetic field detection technology.
Guo Neng Hai Ce No. 1 Launches on its Maiden Voyage.
The platform is equipped with an unmanned vessel and an industrial-grade underwater robot featuring an electromagnetic detector. It employs point-to-point communication technology to facilitate data exchange between surface and underwater operations. This enables a combined inspection method where the robot scans the cables while the unmanned vessel conducts patrols. The platform can function effectively in wave conditions of up to 2.5 meters and can autonomously inspect over 300 kilometers of submarine cable, efficiently identifying and locating any cable damage. This capability is crucial for maintaining offshore wind power operations during low window periods.
Moreover, the platform integrates several advanced technologies, including an inertial navigation hovering system commonly used in marine engineering. This innovation addresses various technical challenges related to accurately locating cable faults. The self-developed high-precision submarine cable detection device allows for integrated scanning using sound, light, electricity and magnetism, enabling high-precision 3D modeling of seabed topography and comprehensive 360° scanning of pile foundation equipment. These enhancements improve the visibility and monitoring capabilities of underwater equipment, making offshore wind power operations safer, smarter and more efficient.
An Underwater Robot
Since the launch of Guo Neng Hai Ce No. 1, underwater detection accuracy and efficiency have increased by more than ten times compared to traditional manual inspection methods. Furthermore, the time required to locate cable faults has been reduced from over 20 days to just 2 days, while costs have decreased by 90%, and downtime has been cut by one-third. This translates to potential savings of millions of kilowatt-hours in power generation, providing robust technical support for the entire lifecycle management of offshore wind power assets during both construction and operational phases.
As one of the pioneering new energy companies in China to develop offshore wind resources, Longyuan Poweris dedicated to implementing CHN Energy's technology innovation strategy. By prioritizing technological innovation as the main driver of development, the company has successfully created the Guo Neng Hai Ce No. 1 platform, which combines unmanned vessels and underwater robots for offshore operations, offering intelligent solutions for efficient operation and integrated detection in offshore wind power.
The successful operation of Guo Neng Hai Ce No. 1 not only enhances the autonomy of underwater detection technology for offshore wind power but also provides significant technical support for expanding green energy into deeper waters, driving technological progress and industrial upgrading in China's offshore wind power sector.
