The Dong Fang Hong 2 Research Vessel was commissioned in January 1996. As the only dedicated research vessel operated by a Chinese university at the time, it served as the mainstay for national marine scientific expeditions. Over 27 years of service, it has safely sailed 600,000 nautical miles, with tracks spanning the Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea, East China Sea, South China Sea, as well as the Indian Ocean and the northwestern Pacific, making a significant contribution to China’s efforts to build a strong maritime country. The vessel has completed over 200 sea-based teaching cruises, training more than 20,000 undergraduates and nearly 3,000 postgraduate students in marine-related disciplines. Nearly 160 major national scientific expeditions and 30 international cooperative cruises have been completed, serving more than 11,000 person-times of scientific and technological personnel, and fostering extensive and productive cooperation with more than 50 marine research institutes at home and abroad. The vessel has supported the development of numerous leading marine scientists, represented by Academicians Zhang Jing, Wu Lixin, and Dai Minhan, and has witnessed a series of marine science and technology achievements that have received national-level awards.
