China’s Gesheng No.1 Deep-Sea Aquaculture Factory Goes Live
China has officially launched “Gesheng No.1” (格盛1号), a state-of-the-art semi-submersible deep-sea aquaculture platform off the coast of Zhuhai in Guangdong Province, marking a significant technological leap in the nation’s “Blue Granary” food security initiative. The platform, which integrates AI-driven monitoring, 5G connectivity, drone-based feeding, and renewable energy systems, is already demonstrating the viability of industrial-scale fish farming in deep waters.
A Floating Factory of the Future
Built by COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry (Guangdong) and designed by Zhuhai Gesheng Technology in collaboration with the Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Gesheng No.1 is an 86-meter-long, 32-meter-wide truss-type structure with a height of 16.5 meters and a draught of 10.5 meters. Its aquaculture water volume of 30,000 cubic meters is double that of its predecessor, the “Penghu” platform, according to People’s Daily.
Owned by the Zhuhai Marine Development Group (ZMDG), the platform requires only three operations personnel for daily management. “Compared to the past, fish farming now is more like ‘sitting in an office,’” Sheng Songjiang, an operations engineer at Zhuhai Gesheng Technology, told People’s Daily, pointing to monitoring screens displaying real-time data on fish behavior, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and salinity.
Technological Breakthroughs Driving Efficiency
The platform’s structural design represents a key innovation. By shifting from a box-frame to a pipe-frame configuration, engineers reduced steel usage while improving wave permeability, significantly lowering stress loads during typhoons. Digital systems have transformed traditional fish farming into a data-driven operation. Using intelligent sonar and automated feeding, operators can precisely track fish growth. A predictive analysis model, built on an extensive database, has helped achieve a fry survival rate exceeding 98% for the latest batch, as reported by Baird Maritime.
A 5G wireless communication link enables remote real-time monitoring, while onboard photovoltaic panels contribute to the platform’s power supply. Feeding is assisted by drones deployed from a dedicated take-off and landing platform, representing what Du Bing, Deputy General Manager of Zhuhai Gesheng Technology, described as “the effective integration of the low-altitude economy and the marine economy.”
First Harvest and Economic Promise
Gesheng No.1 has already demonstrated its commercial potential. In March 2025, the platform harvested its first batch of amberjack (章红鱼), yielding over 50 tonnes valued at approximately 5 million RMB ($700,000). The facility now farms a diverse range of high-value species including yellowfin tuna, octopus, grouper, golden pomfret, and catfish. Its expected annual output value exceeds 50 million RMB ($7 million), according to the China Classification Society.
The platform operates under a “1+N” cluster model, serving as a central hub surrounded by 18 gravity cages for demonstration aquaculture of high-value species.
Strategic Context: The Blue Granary Initiative
Gesheng No.1 is a flagship project within China’s “Blue Granary” (蓝色粮仓) national strategy, which aims to secure protein resources from the ocean as agricultural lands approach maximum exploitation. In its first Central Document for 2023, the Chinese government ordered the construction of sea pastures and designated aquaculture as a pillar of food security, as noted by The Fish Site.
Guangdong Province, where Gesheng No.1 is deployed, leads China’s marine economy. Its marine GDP exceeded 2 trillion RMB in 2024, ranking first nationally for 30 consecutive years. Since 2018, the province has invested nearly 2 billion RMB in marine technology innovation, breaking through 281 key technical bottlenecks. Nearly 100 modern marine ranch projects have been launched since 2023, with total investment exceeding 20 billion RMB.
Seed Independence and the Next Generation
A critical component of the Blue Granary strategy is achieving seed independence. Zhuhai has established a “land-sea relay” model where fry are first raised in land-based ponds before transfer to deep-sea cages. This approach has increased survival rates to over 95% and reduced seedling costs by approximately 15%, according to People’s Daily (Guangdong).
Breakthroughs in breeding are also advancing. The “Zhongzhu No.1” yellowfin seabream, developed by the Zhuhai Modern Agriculture Development Center in collaboration with the南海水产研究所, has demonstrated a 28.6% weight increase over control groups. Meanwhile, researchers have achieved a breakthrough in low-salinity maturation of sea perch broodstock, enabling large-scale local production of high-quality fry.
Global Implications
As offshore aquaculture expert Alan Cook observed in The Fish Site: “While the West dithers, the East goes ahead building assets and more importantly, building knowledge on offshore farming.” With Gesheng No.1 operational and even more ambitious platforms on the horizon, China is positioning itself as a global leader in the technology-driven transformation of seafood production — a shift with profound implications for global food security and the future of protein supply.