Advanced patrol vessel commissioned in China's Sansha city

An advanced patrol vessel was delivered and commissioned in China's southernmost Sansha city Wednesday.

The No.1 law enforcement ship of Sansha City, Hainan Province, is 97.5 meters long and 14 meters wide with seven floors. With a tonnage of 2,600 tonnes, the vessel has a designed speed of 22 nautical miles per hour and is capable of sailing 6,000 nautical miles.

The cruising ability means it can patrol the seawaters at the Nansha Islands, said Wang Shizheng, deputy head of the Sansha City Comprehensive Law Enforcement Bureau.

The new ship will increase the law enforcement range of Sansha city and play an irreplaceable role in maritime salvage and materials supply for islands and reefs, he said.

The ship has special rooms for handling cases in its legal enforcement cruises as well as an infirmary, a helipad and a garage.

Prior to the No.1 law enforcement vessel, Sansha had three patrolling vessels.

Sansha City, on Yongxing, one of the Xisha islands, was officially established in 2012 to administer the Xisha, Zhongsha and Nansha island groups and their surrounding waters in the South China Sea.