China is constructing what is being described as the world’s first artificial floating island capable of surviving nuclear explosions, a massive semi-submersible structure weighing 78,000 tonnes and designed for long-term deep-sea operations.
The Deep-Sea All-Weather Resident Floating Research Facility, as it is officially named, is comparable in size to China’s Fujian aircraft carrier. The platform measures 138 metres long and 85 metres wide, with a main deck standing 45 metres above the waterline.
The project’s lead scientist, Lin Zhongqin, told Economic Information Daily that China is “racing to complete the design and construction” to ensure the facility becomes fully operational by 2028.
Engineered to Withstand Typhoons and Nuclear Shockwaves
Researchers say the floating island is built to survive:
- Nuclear blast shockwaves, thanks to advanced “metamaterial” sandwich panels that turn “catastrophic shocks into gentle squeezes”
- Typhoon Category 17 winds — the highest tier of tropical cyclone intensity
- 6–9 metre high waves in rough seas
- Long-term isolation, supporting 238 people for up to four months without resupply
According to Shanghai Jiao Tong University scientists, the structure includes protected “critical compartments” for power, navigation, and communications, all engineered to resist nuclear-level shock impacts.
Civilian Project — With Military-Grade DNA
While China labels the project as a civilian scientific platform, its design reportedly incorporates GJB 1060.1-1991, a Chinese military standard for nuclear blast protection, suggesting clear dual-use potential.
The facility follows more than a decade of research and planning and is described by Chinese media as a “far-sea floating mobile island.”
Once operational, the platform could dramatically expand China’s deep-sea scientific projects — while also strengthening its strategic footprint in contested waters.