Shanghai: China will soon launch its largest coastguard patrol vessel, which will have a displacement of 12,000 tonnes.
The vessel, said to have been named China Coast Guard 2901, is being built at Jiangnan Shipyard, Shanghai, which is a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC).
The new patrol vessel will be operated by China Coast Guard, which was established last year, and is likely to be deployed in the East China Sea, according to reports from Guancha.cn. China and Japan are currently engaged in a territorial dispute over the Diaoyu/Senkaku islands in the Sea.
Previous Chinese media reports have said the ship would be fitted with a 76mm quick-firing main gun, two secondary guns and two anti-aircraft guns, and could carry two helicopters on board.
Japan's largest patrol vessel has a full load displacement of about 9,300 tonnes, while China’s largest existing patrol ship displaces just under 4,000 tonnes, reports say. [16/12/14]
