VESSEL REVIEW | Haijun 0561 – China Maritime Safety Administration places 64-metre patrol vessel into service

China's Huanghai Shipbuilding has delivered a new steel-hulled patrol vessel to the China Maritime Safety Administration (CMSA).

Named Haijun 0561 ("Sea Patrol 0561"), the vessel will be operated primarily in the waters off the city of Dongying in Shandong province. Duties will also include search and rescue (SAR), environmental protection, and command and control (C&C) of other maritime assets during large-scale emergency response operations.

The vessel has an LOA of 64 metres, a beam of 10.2 metres, a draught of three metres, a depth of five metres, and a displacement of 845 tonnes at full load. Two diesel engines deliver a maximum speed of 17.7 knots and a cruising speed of 16 knots while non-retractable anti-roll fins and rudder keels keep the vessel stable while underway.

The vessel also boasts a C&C system that collates data gathered by the various onboard sensors, which include low-light cameras. It is therefore possible for the command crew to know the real-time dispositions of other response vessels, which will help in the effective coordination of multiple assets when responding to emergencies.

The communications suite meanwhile also includes equipment that will allow ship-to-shore video conferencing even over long distances. Also fitted are a helicopter deck and small boats that can be deployed for SAR even in high sea states.

Haijun 0561 was designed by the China Shipbuilding Group's 701 Research Institute in compliance to China Classification Society rules.

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