On the morning of January 16, 2024, at 8:30 AM, EVERSAFE MARINE successfully launched a 3000-ton deep-sea aquaculture cage in Rizhao City, Shandong Province, using airbag ship launching technology. The cage, named “Sea Granary One,” is a fully submersible deep-sea salmon farming cluster cage. It measures 89 meters in length, 45 meters in width, and 32 meters in height, with a launch weight of 3000 tons. The cage features a fully submersible rigid cage structure, with a maximum aquaculture water capacity of 40,000 cubic meters, and an estimated annual production of over 1300 tons of salmon.
The construction of the cage was completed by Shandong Port Equipment Group Co., Ltd., and the launching ramp was made of cement, divided into two sections. The above-water slope is 1/70, and the underwater slope is 1/20. EVERSAFE MARINE utilized 42 high-strength marine airbags arranged in two rows for the launch.
The airbag cage launching process consists of three steps:
1- lifting the cage with airbags and removing the supports,
2- moving the cage to the water’s edge on the launch platform,
3- launching the cage into the water at high tide.
During the lifting process, the cage is secured with a winch, and airbags are inserted between the supports at the bottom of the cage. When the airbags are inflated to 0.15 MPa, the cage leaves the supports, and the supports are removed. Controlled by the winch, the cage moves 120 meters until it reaches the water. At high tide, the winch releases the steel wire rope, allowing the cage to smoothly enter the water with the rolling airbags.
With the continuous development of ocean ranching technologies and policy guidance, modern ocean ranches are gradually moving towards the “deep-sea” direction. The deep-sea aquaculture cages built in China are increasing in volume and weight. Using airbag launching technology can shorten the construction cycle of site foundations and save a considerable amount of funds. EVERSAFE MARINE, as a specialist company in airbag engineering, takes pride in contributing to the economic development of China in various fields.
