VESSEL REVIEW | China Environmental Monitoring Fujian 001 – Water monitoring vessel to be operated off China's Fujian province

China's National Marine Environmental Monitoring Centre (NMEMC) recently took delivery of a new environmental monitoring vessel from Funing Heavy Industry, a subsidiary of Fujian Shipbuilding.

China Environmental Monitoring Fujian 001 (中国环监闽001; Zhongguo Huan Jian Min 001) was built as a near-identical sister of a monitoring vessel that was delivered to the NMEMC earlier this year by Jiangxi Jiangxin Shipbuilding.

The newbuild has an LOA of 55.2 metres (181 feet), a beam of 10.3 metres (33.8 feet), a maximum draught of 2.7 metres (8.9 feet), a depth of 4.6 metres (15 feet), and a displacement of 960 tons at full load.

Water and environmental analysis platform

As its name suggests, the vessel will be used primarily in both coastal and offshore waters off Fujian, making it the first such vessel of its type in operation in the southeastern Chinese province. It will perform maritime law enforcement, data gathering, and marine environment monitoring and investigation.

The latter function will include real-time analysis of water quality data and monitoring of marine organisms and sediment, thanks to the incorporation of advanced collection and testing equipment.

Secondary safety enforcement function

The vessel may also be used for maritime safety patrols in coastal waters. Aiding the crew are communication and navigation equipment such as electronic charts and emergency radar position indicators.

Space is also available for a small fast rescue boat to expand the vessel's maritime safety reach.

Design work on China Environmental Monitoring Fujian 001 was undertaken by the 605 Research Institute of the China Shipbuilding Group in compliance with China Classification Society requirements including those that cover domestic offshore navigation areas.