New replensihment ship 888 entering service

Dear Sirs:

Think of it this way, that China intends to occupy even some of the smaller, less developed islands that dot the South China Sea (or any other important body of water) in addition to the larger islands that are more easily developed.

Then the use of these smaller boats makes sense. They can approach much closer to shore than larger vessels due to their shallow drafts. Replenishment by sea is a lot cheaper than replenishment by air.

So this is merely the mother ship of all those little boats. There is no need to find other more contrived explanations for her existence. This is certainly not a vessel that the Chinese Navy needs to be secretive or coy about. Not with the washing hanging about like that.

It is minimally armed, much less than you would expect even for a underway replenishment vessel. That's all.

bd popeye said:

I think it is some sort of replenishment ship. The boom between the boat rigs looks like an UNREP station of some sort. But I could be incorrect..

By the way welcome to the forum!

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Here is what you need to know about CONREP. Those two little cranes are intended for lowering freight into small boats or barges while anchored.



If you look at the PLAN's unrep ships, they use pretty much standard Nato CONREP gear and techniques.

Ambivalent said:

Here is what you need to know about CONREP. Those two little cranes are intended for lowering freight into small boats or barges while anchored.

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If you look at the PLAN's unrep ships, they use pretty much standard Nato CONREP gear and techniques.

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Thanks for that info..and I should know better I was in the USN for quite some time. I've seen hundreds of UNREPS and should remember those things.

Did you know the USN now calls UNREPs >> RAS? Replenishment At Sea??

Here is what I think this new ship is intended to do, but on a smaller scale.



Those little boats are perfect for moving around causeway sections.

This Is A New Class Of Replenishment Ships For PLAN!

bd popeye said:

True to a point. This is an replenishment ship. It does have re-fueling stations and transfer stations for replenishment at sea. I do not understand why the PLAN decided they did not need a hangar. . That I do not understand.

Those boat booms are a curious matter. What's the need? For amphibious operations??

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Looks like it may be set up to do limited UNREP, but no VERTREP. It really looks like it is set up to do the re-supply mission from the sea to the bases China has been developing around the China Sea. What we would call that? BASEREP? or SURFREP?

Any additional UNREP and the Resupply would be good missions though for this vessel.

As it stands, the PLAN now has what appears to be a decent fleet of six larger, more modern oilers and AOR vessels for its fleet. Ultimately, it will need more.:

881 Hongzehu, Fuqing Class, 21,750 Tons (UNREP, Limited VERTREP)
882 Poyanghu, Fuqing Class, 21,750 Tons (UNREP, Limited VERTREP)
885 Qinghaihu, Qinghaihu Class, 37,000 tons (UNREP, VERTREP)
886 Qiandaohu, Qiandaohu Class, 23,000 Tons (UNREP, VERTREP)
887 Weishanhu, Qiandaohu Class, 23,000 Tons (UNREP, VERTREP)
888 Fuxianhu, Fuxianhu Calss, 15,000 T, (Limited UNREP, BASEREP)

By comparison, the US Navy, through the Military Sealift Command, operates 41 vessels for replenshiment of the US Fleets all over the world. Including:

04 Large Arctic Class, T-AOE Fast Combat Support Ships, 48,000 tons (UNREP, VERTREP)
14 Large Henry J. Kaiser Class T-AO Replenishment Oilers at 43,000 tons (UNREP)
09 (4 more building) Large Lewis and Clark T-AKE Ammuniton and dry supply vessels, 40,500 tons, (UNREP, VERTREP)
04 Kilauea Class T-AE Ammunition Ships, 20,500 tons (UNREP, VERTREP)
06 San Jose Class T-AFS, Combat Stores Ship, 15,000 tons (UNREP, VERTREP)

Considering the oil tankers Chinese shipyards are now able to build, larger AOR ships should be started at this point.

duskylim said:

Dear Sirs:

Think of it this way, that China intends to occupy even some of the smaller, less developed islands that dot the South China Sea (or any other important body of water) in addition to the larger islands that are more easily developed.....

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:coffee: The 888 was purposely built to resupply the many little PLAN outposts in the South China Sea. Here are some examples:

bayareajimmy said:

:coffee: The 888 was purposely built to resupply the many little PLAN outposts in the South China Sea. Here are some examples:

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Great post with excellent pictures.

Makes the point very well indeed.