GUANGZHOU - A deep-water survey vessel that is capable of conducting exploration at 3,000 meters below sea level was delivered to its user on Friday at a shipbuilding plant in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong province.

The vessel, HYSY708, is 105 meters long and 23.4 meters wide. With a tonnage of 11,600 tonnes, it has a top speed of 14.5 knots.

Powered by electric propulsion and outfitted with a dynamic positioning system, the vessel is designed for functions including deep-sea geophysical and seismic exploration, remotely-operated vehicle operations, sea-floor sampling and large-scale marine engineering lifting.

It is also capable of drilling up to 600 meters below the sea floor at a depth of 3,000 meters underwater.

Built by CSSC Guangzhou Huangpu Shipbuilding Company, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corp., the ship will be operated by China Oilfield Services Ltd.

Sources with the shipbuilding company said the vessel, with its advanced technology, filled in a gap in China's deep-sea engineering exploration.

It will play an important role in exploring and developing the oil and gas resources in the South China Sea, the sources said.