A graphic of the new Chinese flat-deck vessel. (Janes)
A new Chinese flat-deck vessel recently seen at China's Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) is conducting its maiden voyage, images on Chinese social media show.
The vessel features two islands with a separate funnel structure aft, all of which are located on the starboard side, and a through deck akin to an aircraft carrier. It is estimated to be over 200 m long and nearly 40 m wide, and could potentially be a testbed for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or helicopters, Janes assesses.
The vessel's primary island appears to be located in the starboard centre of the vessel, and is a long, multi-storied structure with a potential rear-facing bridge. This bridge could be used to co-ordinate landings by vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) manned and unmanned aircraft. Atop the superstructure is an enclosed mast supporting what appears to be a naval radar system.
The smaller, forward island appears to house the ship's bridge. This island includes an array with antennas associated with navigational radar. The funnel structure at the aft end of the ship contains several exhausts, which indicate that this ship is diesel powered.
The ship also includes a crane system towards the stern of the vessel with a hangar deck. An opening to the lower deck space reveals a deployable lifeboat.
Images show that the third island has the logo of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC). Satellite imagery from earlier in 2024, coupled with images on Chinese social media reveal that the vessel was built at the GSI on Longxue Island, north of Hong Kong. On its website, GSI described itself as a “super large enterprise” under CSSC.
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