Salvaging Nanhai No.1 with Marine Airbags

Client: Maritime Silk Road Museum of Guangdong
Location: Yangjiang, Guangdong, China
Year: 2007
Product: Caisson Moving Airbags (D1.0m × L15m)
Application: Heavy Load Handling & Underwater Salvage

Background: A Historic Ship Moved with Marine Airbags Technology

“Nanhai No.1” was a wooden merchant ship from the Southern Song Dynasty. It sank over 800 years ago in the South China Sea. Archaeologists later discovered it as the best-preserved, largest, and earliest ocean-going trade vessel of its time. The ship was 30.4 meters long and 9.8 meters wide. It carried nearly 800 tons of cargo and had an estimated displacement of 600 tons.

The vessel provides rare physical evidence of the ancient Maritime Silk Road. Because of its significance, the Chinese government decided to preserve it as a national treasure. In 2007, they launched a “Whole Piece Salvage” plan to recover the ship.

Project Challenge

To protect the fragile ship during the move, engineers enclosed it in a steel caisson. The structure measured 35.7 meters in length, 14.4 meters in width, and 6 meters in height. It weighed a massive 5,600 tons.

The challenge was to transport this giant caisson from the sea to the Crystal Palace inside the Maritime Silk Road Museum—without damaging the ship or its structure.

NANHAI’s Marine Airbags Solution

To solve this problem, NANHAI provided 13 high-pressure marine airbags (Model: D1.0m × L15m). These airbags could withstand a working pressure of over 0.4 MPa.

Instead of using expensive track-laying systems, we suggested a flexible, airbag-based transport method. This solution had several advantages:

• It reduced costs,
• Allowed real-time directional adjustment,
• And simplified the entire setup process.

In addition, our team arranged over 20 marine airbags in a rolling sequence under the caisson. As the caisson moved forward, the rear marine airbags were retrieved, reused, and placed at the front. This method created a moving platform that made transport smooth and efficient.

Successful Execution

On December 28, 2007, the operation reached a key milestone. The giant caisson, with the sunken ship safely inside, successfully arrived at the Crystal Palace. Thanks to the reliability of our marine airbags and precise coordination, the entire move went smoothly.

This moment marked the first time in Chinese history that such an ancient ship was moved as a whole, from the seabed to a museum hall.

Results & Impact

• Cultural Achievement: The ship now serves as a symbol of ancient maritime trade and attracts thousands of visitors every year.
• Engineering Breakthrough: The project proved that NANHAI marine airbags can handle delicate and heavy loads in complex environments.
• New Standard: It set a benchmark for future underwater salvage and heavy transport operations.

Conclusion

The successful salvage of “Nanhai No.1” shows the power of modern airbag technology. NANHAI’s heavy-duty marine airbags provided a safe, cost-effective, and reliable solution to one of China’s most high-profile maritime projects.

NANHAI – Empowering the Future of Marine Engineering

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