South China Sea

Location. The items that name it, and who it appears alongside.

↓ (6 items)

Items

that name it

Named alongside

other entities

First seen

W30 ‘26

Latest

W45 ‘26

Named alongside

By shared items

01ChinaLocation/3

Items

Most relevant first · titles open the original ↗

01openalex2026-10-31Hong Thao Nguyen, Nguyễn Hoàng ViệtDOI ↗

Autonomous Maritime Vehicles in Law Enforcement Contexts in the South China Sea (opens in a new tab)

The paper explores the impact of Autonomous Maritime Vehicles in Law Enforcement (AMVLEs) on maritime security and legal frameworks in the South China Sea. It argues that while AMVLEs do not create new tensions, they may worsen existing ones by complicating identification, navigational rights, and lawful responses during encounters. The authors conclude that adapting existing UNCLOS rules—through consistent application, clear state responsibility, and regional cooperation—can address these challenges without requiring a new legal regime. Operational restraint and confidence-building measures are recommended to reduce risks and maintain UNCLOS as the regional legal foundation.

02openalex2026-08-01Yu Cai, Ying Li, L. Zhang, Jun SongDOI ↗

Dual-Agent Hierarchical Reinforcement Learning for Typhoon-Avoidance Route Planning of Ships Under Dynamic Wind–Wave–Current Fields (opens in a new tab)

This study introduces a dual-agent hierarchical reinforcement learning framework (HRL-MOO) to improve typhoon-avoidance ship routing under dynamic wind, wave, and current conditions. The model uses a global agent to assess large-scale environmental risks and a local agent to adjust short-term vessel movements, incorporating real-world bathymetric constraints. Simulations of Typhoon Yagi (2024) show the approach reduces environmental risk, improves path smoothness, and speeds up training convergence compared to single-agent methods. Ablation studies confirm the benefits of combining macro-level risk assessment with adaptive multi-objective optimization.

03Marine Insight2026-10-31

China Achieves First Drone Takeoff And Landing Aboard An Amphibious Assault Ship (opens in a new tab)

China successfully conducted the first drone takeoff and landing from its amphibious assault ship, the *Sichuan*, using the GJ-21 strike and reconnaissance drone. This milestone highlights the Chinese navy’s capability to operate fixed-wing stealth drones from sea-based platforms, marking progress in its amphibious assault ship program. The GJ-21, a cost-effective and reusable drone, can carry weapons and glide-guided bombs, enhancing firepower efficiency. The *Sichuan*, a Type 076-class ship with electromagnetic catapults, supports both drones and helicopters and recently completed sea trials in undisclosed locations.

04Marine Insight2026-11-04

China’s New Type 076 Drone Carrier Launches & Recovers Stealth Drone For The First Time (opens in a new tab)

The Chinese Navy’s Type 076 drone carrier, *Sichuan*, successfully launched and recovered a GJ-21 stealth drone for the first time in a key test. The 40,000-ton warship, equipped with an electromagnetic catapult and specialized drone infrastructure, has undergone multiple trials since 2025. The GJ-21 is designed for reconnaissance and strike missions, potentially supporting naval operations or carrier strike groups. This milestone reflects China’s broader push to integrate unmanned aerial systems into its naval and military capabilities.

05openalex2026-07-22An Li, Fan Gao, Zhenqiang Song, Yuqing Li +3 moreDOI ↗

An Original Field Experiment for Positioning of the Seafloor Acoustic Beacon Based on the Ranging Measurement from Surface-Navigation AUV (opens in a new tab)

This study tested a method to precisely locate seafloor acoustic beacons using an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) instead of costly surface vessel surveys. The experiment, conducted at 2,400 meters depth in the South China Sea, used two-way travel-time data and a robust estimation technique to determine beacon coordinates. Missing data (about 40%) affected accuracy, but simulated complete data improved 3D positioning precision from 1.817 meters to 1.127 meters. Results suggest AUVs offer a cost-effective alternative for underwater positioning in marine surveys.

06Splash2472026-09-23

MSC ship abandoned and adrift in South China Sea (opens in a new tab)

The 20-year-old containership *MSC Hermes III* was abandoned by its 25 crew in the South China Sea after issuing a distress alert on September 22. The vessel, now classified as a "derelict," is drifting near coordinates 11°45’N 112°15’E, about 300 km east of Vietnam, with no confirmed cause for the emergency or reports of injuries. Three ships, including *MSC Ruby*, responded to the alert, rescuing the crew, but the ship remains adrift without towage or salvage arrangements. Authorities have not disclosed details about the cargo, including container count or hazardous materials.

Autonomous Maritime Vehicles in Law Enforcement Contexts in the South China SeaAutonomous Maritime Vehicles in Law Enforcement Contexts in the South China Sea ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Dual-Agent Hierarchical Reinforcement Learning for Typhoon-Avoidance Route Planning of Ships Under Dynamic Wind–Wave–Current FieldsDual-Agent Hierarchical Reinforcement Learning for Typhoon-Avoidance Route Planning of Ships Under Dynamic Wind–Wave–Current Fields ↗ (opens in a new tab)

China Achieves First Drone Takeoff And Landing Aboard An Amphibious Assault ShipChina Achieves First Drone Takeoff And Landing Aboard An Amphibious Assault Ship ↗ (opens in a new tab)

China’s New Type 076 Drone Carrier Launches & Recovers Stealth Drone For The First TimeChina’s New Type 076 Drone Carrier Launches & Recovers Stealth Drone For The First Time ↗ (opens in a new tab)