Development and Application of HAIMA (ROV)

Abstract

As the main research result of Chinese national 863 plan project titled "deep-sea operation system in water depth of 4500 m" , China’s first ROV named "HAIMA" carried by "Ocean 6" had successfully passed the sea-trial in the South China Sea in 2014 by through three segments, and seventeen diving tasks with the maximum diving water-depth of 4502 m. After that, "HAIMA" was deployed rapidly, and won the first battle in the investigation of gas hydrate in the South China Sea. And for the first time, "HAIMA" revealed the presence of "cold spring" on the northwestern slope of the South China Sea, which indicated the existence of gas hydrate resources in this area, and achieved double breakthroughs in both application of domestic high-tech deep-sea devices and exploration of gas hydrate in the South China Sea. Leading by the search results of "HAIMA" , the first hydrate sample with high purity was obtained in the "cold spring" area, which was another big breakthrough for our country in the related research field. All the results showed that HAIMA worked in a good state, and had outstanding controls, reliability, stability and extended functions, which had fulfilled the standard for practical equipment. "HAIMA" filled in the blank of Chinese deep-sea exploration devices, and greatly improved the Chinese deep-sea equipment level and operation capability. "HAIMA" gained vital breakthrough for a series of key technologies and accomplished the same level of international similar ROVs, which had milestone meaning in the field of Chinese deep-sea device research.