On May 8, a research vessel, funded by Xiamen University, christened TAN KAH KEE, the founder of Xiamen University, was launched at Guangzhou Shipyard International Company Limited. The size of the vessel is 77.7 meters long and 16.24 wide, drawing 5.2 meters deep, with a tonnage of 3500, economic speed of 11 knots and fastest speed of 17 knots，endurance 10000 miles，self supportability 50 days and complement 54 staff.

The vessel will start its research voyage at the end of this year after inner decoration, facilities installation and tuning as well as sea trials are finished.

According to the profiles, the vessel is well-equipped with instruments and multipurpose lab as advanced as today’s world-class research vessels, and it will be one of the key ships in China for exploration on distant seas and deep sea in the following 10 to 20 years, reaching any part of the ocean except Arctic and Antarctic oceans.

Xiamen University, the cradle of oceanography in China, is the first comprehensive university in China to have such an advanced research vessel.