The world’s first aquaculture supercarrier has set sail — here’s what’s onboard.
The world’s first 150,000-tonne smart aquaculture vessel, Guoxin 1 2-1, has officially entered service following its delivery on 17 April by Beihai Shipbuilding, part of China State Shipbuilding Corporation. The vessel was developed by Qingdao-based state-owned conglomerate Guoxin Group and will operate under the name Lu Ji Yu Yang 60617, according to a WeChat post by Qingdao Guoxin Group.
The vessel is an upgraded model of the original 100,000-tonne Guoxin 1, launched in 2022, and marks the beginning of scaled, industrialised offshore aquaculture in China. Designed to rear high-value species such as large yellow croaker, salmonids, and amberjack, the vessel has an annual production capacity of approximately 3,600 tonnes of premium fish.
Built at a cost of CNY 610 million ($84.3 million), Guoxin 1 2-1 is 244.9 meters long with a displacement of 150,000 tonnes and features 15 standard rearing tanks, 4 circular raceways, and 22 experimental tanks. It is equipped with over 160 new technical innovations, including a highly automated system for feeding, harvesting, and processing. According to the company, automation now exceeds 90%, reducing labour costs by 20% and increasing production efficiency.
The delivery of the vessel is seen as a step toward standardised replication of offshore aquaculture ships in China. The next vessel in the series, Guoxin 1 2-2, is scheduled to enter service in October 2025, with the fleet forming the backbone of China’s ambitions to build a large-scale industrial aquaculture cluster in deep-sea environments.
The vessel’s launch is also part of a wider strategy led by the Qingdao municipal government to transform the region into a national marine industry hub. The Guoxin Group’s aquaculture operations have already received recognition under China’s 14th Five-Year Plan and include extensive R&D in disease control, broodstock development, and equipment design.
The group’s flagship yellow croaker product line, Yuxianfang, has received ASC, HACCP, and FDA certification and is exported to markets including Singapore, South Korea, the United States, and Canada. The company reports that survival rates for stock onboard its first-generation vessel have exceeded 90%, with a 25% shorter rearing cycle compared to traditional cage systems.
The Guoxin 1 2-1 is positioned as a cornerstone project in China’s “Blue Granary” national food security initiative, which aims to industrialise offshore fish farming through scalable, high-tech production platforms.