CHINA – China is designing its first tourist submersible for under sea trips of up to 1,000 meters, according to local reports on Monday.

China Ship Scientific Research Center in Wuxi, a city west of Shanghai, plans to build a prototype before the end of this year and start commercial operation by 2030, allowing as many as four passengers per trip.

According to the center’s director Ye Cong, key components including the submersible’s panoramic viewport – one of the hardest parts to design on a deep-sea submersible – have already been developed.

China currently operates dozens of tourism submersibles for depths of up to about 20 meters, suitable for tours in reservoirs, lakes, and coastal waters.

Vehicles designed for greater depths must stand with significantly higher external water pressure.

The research center, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corp., has also developed the advanced Jiaolong and Deep Sea Warrior deep-sea submersibles for scientific exploration.