(Yicai Global) Dec. 19 -- Dazhi, the Chinese-developed world's first smart ship, has formally been delivered to China Merchants Group Ltd. in Shanghai, China's transport ministry announced yesterday, as state-run Xinhua News Agency reported.

The navigation system of Dazhi ('Great Intelligence') can obtain data regarding its own equipment, as well as ocean currents and other maritime conditions, and thus offers time and energy saving, comfortable, low-cost shipping.

The vessel is 179 meters long, 32 meters wide, has a draft of 15 meters and a freight capacity of 38,800 tons. The craft will mainly ship coal and salt and ply the China-Australia and China-Southeast Asia lines, per the report.

Dazhi is the first smart ship UK-based Lloyd's Register of Shipping has ever certified. China's classification institute has done likewise. "It shows that China has taken the lead in merchant ship design and construction," said Sun Feng, vice president of China Classification Society. CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding Co. in Guangzhou built the intelligent bulk carrier, which is now undergoing sea trials off the coast of China's southeastern Guangdong province.