China Constructs World’s Largest Naval Supply Ship At Guangzhou Shipyard

China is building what appears to be the world’s largest naval supply ship at a shipyard located on Longxue Island, near Guangzhou.

According to satellite images, the ship is 270 m long and 37 m wide, with its hull optimised for volume instead of just speed, which makes it much bigger than China’s current largest supply vessel, the 45,000-ton Type 901, and also the U.S Navy’s newest John Lewis-class replenishment oilers.

The ship features superstructures at both the bow and stern, with large hangars and a flight deck at the rear to support helicopters for vertical replenishment.

Midship, it has vertical pillar-like structures for transferring fuel, dry stores, and ammunition to other ships at sea.

The monster supply ship is meant to support the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) expanding “blue water” ambitions.

China’s aircraft carriers and their escort ships are all conventionally powered, requiring massive amounts of fuel and continuous resupply to sail for long periods far from friendly shores.

The new supply ship will likely be used to support China’s growing carrier strike groups and other large upcoming vessels, such as the massive Type 076 amphibious assault ship.

The rapid construction of this massive auxiliary ship further highlights the growing disparity in naval shipbuilding capacity between China and the United States.

According to experts, the ship has been under construction since atleast February and the work seems to be progressing rapidly.

In recent years, the yard has become known for building unique and unusual ships for military use or dual-purpose applications.

This includes what might be a civilian ‘research carrier,’ jack-up barges to support amphibious operations, and also a trimaran drone ship.