Fujian's Fu Yuan Yu 9199 sets sail for Antarctic Waters. [Photo provided to gofujian.com]

China's largest specialized Antarctic krill fishing and processing vessel, the Fu Yuan Yu 9199, completed equipment testing and supply replenishment at the Fuzhou (Lianjiang) National Pelagic Fishery Base on March 10 before embarking on its maiden voyage.

Developed and produced independently in China, the Fu Yuan Yu 9199 is technological milestone, measuring of 138.8 meters in length, 24 meters in beam and 12 meters in depth with a total tonnage of 16,000 metric tons, and an investment of 601 million yuan ($83.1 million).

Equipped with cutting-edge international technology, the vessel features a continuous pump suction fishing system that allows for rapid operations with minimal impact on the krill population. Additionally, it houses the nation's only fully automatic krill product production line, facilitating automated shelling, processing, and packaging for efficient transportation of krill products. Operations in the Antarctic krill fishing area are slated to begin in April.

"The vessel can break through over 1-meter-thick ice layers and operate even in temperatures as low as -25 C," said Zheng Ming, general manager of Fujian Zhengguan Fishery Development Co Ltd, the company behind the vessel's construction.

Fujian is on a trajectory to become a world-class province in deep-sea fishing, with the Fu Yuan Yu 9199's inaugural journey marking the start of enhanced technological support and accelerated development of polar marine resources in the region.