World’s First Nuclear-Proof Island Plan Can Survive Typhoons, And Massive Waves: All About China's New Deep-Sea Mega Project

China Nuclear Proof island: China is developing a massive deep-sea research platform that can endure nuclear-blast shockwaves. This project marks a significant leap in maritime technology and long-range ocean operations.

According to research quoted by the South China Morning Post, the structure, officially named the Deep-Sea All-Weather Resident Floating Research Facility, will be capable of staying at sea for months and operating across waters once deployed in 2028.

About 78,000-Tonne Platform

Designed as a 78,000-tonne semi-submersible twin-hull platform, the floating island is nearly as large as China’s newest Fujian-class aircraft carrier. It can house up to 238 personnel for four months without resupply and cruise at speeds up to 15 knots.

University documents submitted under China’s 14th Five-Year Plan describe it as a national major scientific infrastructure programme, aimed at long-term deep-sea monitoring, equipment testing and marine resource exploration.

Design contracts signed with China State Shipbuilding Corporation show the platform will be 138 metres long and 85 metres wide, with a main deck rising 45 metres above the waterline. Its twin-hull form is engineered to withstand sea state 7 conditions, equivalent to 6–9 metre waves, and survive typhoons up to Category 17.

Advanced ‘Metamaterial’ Armour Creates Nuclear-Blast Protection

A standout feature is its nuclear-blast-resistant “metamaterial” sandwich panel system. Scientists cited by the South China Morning Post further said that the structure can transform “catastrophic shocks into gentle squeezes” by converting violent pressure spikes into slower, manageable compression. The technology relies on a three-dimensional negative-Poisson-ratio lattice, corrugated metal tubes that act like controlled crumple zones under extreme loads.

Simulations published in the peer-reviewed Chinese Journal of Ship Research show that this 60-mm-thick panel reduced displacement by over 58 per cent under simulated nuclear overpressure of 177 kilopascals, a force strong enough to flatten conventional structures. The design references China’s military blast standard GJB 1060.1-1991, underscoring the importance placed on survivability during nuclear shock events.

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Although officially a scientific research platform, its intended areas of operation may include wider ocean regions such as the South China Sea, where Beijing has strengthened its military and research presence in recent years.

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Project overseer Lin Zhongqin earlier told state media that the team is “racing to complete the design and construction” for deployment by 2028. The project also fits Beijing’s wider ambitions to expand its “blue economy”, covering deep-sea mineral extraction, renewable energy, and climate science. Its mobility, resilience, and scale could allow China to conduct research and resource exploration that cannot be achieved from land-based labs or standard research vessels.