China is constructing a 78,000-tonne artificial floating island capable of withstanding nuclear blasts, according to recent reports. The massive structure—comparable in size to China’s Fujian aircraft carrier—is expected to become operational by 2028.
The mobile, semi-submersible, twin-hull platform is designed to support 238 people for up to four months without resupply. It can endure harsh ocean conditions, including 6–9 metre waves and Category 17 typhoons, the highest classification for tropical cyclones.
“We are racing to finalize the design and construction, with the goal of achieving operational status by 2028,” project lead Lin Zhongqin told Economic Information Daily.
Researchers cited by the South China Morning Post noted that the platform will incorporate “metamaterial” sandwich panels engineered to transform powerful, potentially catastrophic shock waves into manageable pressure, enhancing its blast resistance.
“This deep-sea, all-weather scientific facility is intended for long-term habitation,” explained the team led by Professor Yang Deqing of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. They emphasized that the superstructure houses essential compartments for emergency power, communication, and navigation—areas that require maximum nuclear-blast protection.
Officially named the Deep-Sea All-Weather Resident Floating Research Facility, the project is described as China’s first “far-sea floating mobile island,” following more than a decade of research and development.
The platform will measure 138 metres in length and 85 metres in width, with its main deck positioned 45 metres above sea level.
Although China has labeled the structure a civilian scientific installation, its design references GJB 1060.1-1991—a military nuclear blast-resistance standard—indicating that it is built to withstand extreme, worst-case nuclear scenarios.
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