With its 42,600 tons, this new Chinese monster was designed for a single purpose: to break the record for the deepest drilling at 11 km

This 42,600-ton “Dream” vessel—179.8 m long, 32.8 m wide, with room for 180 personnel and 120 days’ autonomy—was commissioned on 17 November 2024 to drill 11 km beneath the sea.¹

Moho objective: reaching the crust–mantle boundary

Scientists refer to the crust–mantle interface as the Mohorovičić discontinuity, or Moho—a frontier that holds clues to Earth’s formation. Previous efforts like Project Mohole barely scratched the surface, but Meng Xiang is designed to change that. According to the International Ocean Discovery Program, drilling beyond 10 km would “reveal unprecedented insights into mantle chemistry and tectonic processes.”²

Did you know? Oceanic crust is typically only about one-third as thick as continental crust, making deep-sea drilling the shortest route to the Moho.

Four drilling modes and a hydraulic rig powerhouse

At the heart of this floating giant sits a hydraulic rig mast with a 907-tonne lifting capacity—double that of most offshore oil rigs—and supports four drilling modes plus three coring techniques³. This versatility lets crews tackle everything from soft sediments to fractured basalts and methane-hydrate deposits without interruption.

A self-sufficient floating laboratory

Meng Xiang doubles as a mobile science hub. It features nine specialized laboratories—from geology to marine microbiology—and the world’s first automated core-storage silos with rotating refrigerated racks¹. Samples remain pristine, enabling instant analysis far from shore.

Built to weather the ocean’s worst fury

Drilling 11 km down is daunting enough, but Meng Xiang can operate through super-typhoon conditions. Heavy-duty stabilizers, a reinforced hull, and a powerful propulsion system ensure only brief pauses even in 250 km/h winds.⁴

Sources:

1. Xinhua. “China’s first deep-ocean drilling vessel enters service.” https://english.www.gov.cn/news/202411/17/content_WS6739adf7c6d0868f4e8ed157.html

2. Nature Geoscience. “Moho-targeting deep-ocean drilling vessel Meng Xiang.” https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-025-01675-7

3. Baird Maritime. “Meng Xiang: large deep-drilling ship to support China’s geological exploration.” https://www.bairdmaritime.com/work-boat-world/research-environment-training/vessel-review-mengxiang-large-deep-drilling-ship-to-support-chinas-geological-exploration-efforts

4. Global Times. “Xi congratulates commissioning of China’s deep-ocean drilling vessel.” https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202411/1323250.shtml