File picture: Yuzheng 88, the world's largest fishery patrol ship, has a water displacement of 15,000 tons www.ship-china-news.cn?

The Yuzheng 88, China's first ten thousand-ton large fishery patrol ship, which will be sent to patrol fishing activities near the Diaoyu Islands, is currently under construction, according to sources familiar with the project.

The ship, which measures 171.4m long, 24.8m wide, will have an endurance of 10,000 nautical miles and water displacement of 15,000 tons. As China builds the Yuzheng 88 to increase its fishery patrol presence near the Diaoyu Islands, a fleet of newly-built patrol ships will also monitor fishing activities in the South China Sea.

The Chinese fishery patrol ship Yuzheng 306 was officially handed over to Xisha fishery administration station on Jan. 21. The ship, which measures 156m long, 17.8m wide and 13.85m high, is the largest and the most advanced marine fishery management ship ever built in China. It carries a top speed of 18 knots and endurance of 12000 nautical miles. The ship is designed by China Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Institute and built by Southern shipbuilding Co., Ltd.

Together with Yuzheng 308 and Yuzheng309, the three ships will become Chinese first fishery patrol ships executing daily law enforcement in the Xisha area. According to the fishery administration in the South China Sea, the first three fishery patrol ships will provide all-weather enforcement power for the efficient management of the area and lay a solid foundation to defend China's national marine rights, resources, and protect fishermen's lives and property.

To meet the requirements of protecting the fishery activities in the Xisha area, the Yuzheng 306 is not large in size, but quite fast in speed. Equipped with advanced technology, it is able to monitor a broad stretch of territory. More larger fishery patrol ships will be put into service in the future, reveals the fishery administration of the South China Sea, and the first ten thousand-ton fishery patrol ship might be sent to the South Sea during the 12th Five-year Plan period. This plan is still under examination of the National Development and Reform Committee.