By NewsGram Staff Writer

Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has declared that China's most advanced, independently-made marine science expedition liner is ready for service after getting through official documentation on Friday, the Xinhua reported.

The 4,700-tonne vessel, "Kexue" (science) competent in conducting deep and open sea exploration and research, went under the development process in 2007, according to a CAS statement.

The statement declared that, "It is the country's first maritime scientific expedition ship made with independent intellectual property rights."

Kexue measures 99.8 meters in length with a maximum breadth of 17.8 meters. Outfitted with unmanned, tether-attached submersibles, deep-towed exploration instruments and deep-sea grabs with live camera feeds, the vessel has an endurance of 15,000 nautical miles.

"The ship will focus on basic marine science research and the development of marine-related technology, serving as a mobile surface lab," said Sun Song, head of the CAS Institute of Oceanology.

Lately, China has dynamically started intensifying its scientific accomplishments. An 8,000-tonne icebreaker is undergoing the design stage while its forerunner, the Ukraine-built Xuelong, is already versed in polar expeditions.