China's Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group handed over a new large buoy maintenance vessel to the China Maritime Safety Administration (CMSA) on Saturday, June 28.
The steel-hulled Haixun 176 was built to a design by the 708 Research Institute of the China Shipbuilding Group. The vessel has an LOA of 75 metres, a beam of 14 metres, a depth of 6.3 metres, a design draught of four metres, and a displacement of 2,450 tons at full load.
The vessel is fitted with an electric propulsion system consisting of three diesel generators and two azimuthing thrusters. Dynamic positioning systems and bow thrusters will meanwhile provide additional lateral manoeuvrability.
The vessel has a range of 5,000 nautical miles, and it will be able to stay out at sea for up to 40 days to conduct inspections, repairs, and a range of other duties that would help ensure safe navigation.
The new CMSA buoy maintenance vessel will be operated primarily in the South China Sea.