TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Shipbuilder CSBC emphasized its strict safety standards for the Narwhal submarine project on Sunday. 

A Mirror Media report claimed that the Navy ordered CSBC to follow minimum safety protocols, leading to foreign supervisors refusing to board the sub for sea trials. CSBC said in a statement that the report was “inconsistent with the facts” and that risk assessments were reviewed thoroughly and confirmed through sea trial safety evaluation meetings.

At each stage of the sea trials, foreign supervisors, technical assistance personnel, and equipment suppliers participated in testing and calibration in accordance with the test procedure manuals and project requirements, the shipbuilder said. Sea trials and calibration were carried out only after comprehensive planning, and “there was no instance of personnel refusing to board due to unmet safety standards,” it added.

CSBC said the project team has consistently prioritized personnel safety and testing standards. Throughout the construction process, the team has addressed deficiencies by identifying and solving them pragmatically. It criticized speculative and sensationalized news reports about the submarine project, which mislead the public and do not "advance public interest in defense self-reliance.”

Last week, the shipbuilder said that there have been no engineering or technical bottlenecks or difficulties to date. The experience gained from this project will serve as a foundation for improving the performance of subsequent vessels, it said.

The indigenous submarine program is now more than two months behind schedule.