885 Qinghaihu is the largest vessel in service with the PLA Navy (Chinese Internet)
Qingaihu (hull No.885) was an ex-Soviet Navy Komandarn Fedko class replenishment oiler Vladimir Peregudov built by the Kherson Shipyard in Ukraine. The construction work was stopped after the Soviet Union broke up in 1991. The unfinished hull was bought by the PRC in 1996. After receiving outfitting at the Dalian Shipyard, the vessel joined service with the PLA Navy South Sea Fleet as a replenishment ship. The vessel was originally named Nanyun 953, and later Nancang (hull No. 885). In 2004, the vessel was renamed Qinghaihu, after the Qinghaihu lake in Qinghai Province.
Based on a merchant tanker design, Qinghaihu is the largest vessel in service with the PLA Navy, with a full displacement of 37,000 tonnes. The vessel carries 9,630 tonnes fuel and other supplies. There are six cranes, four oil refuelling stations, and two stores stations, capable of replenishing three vessels simultaneously. The cranes on the front are also capable of anchoring zone supplies. There is no arm installed on the vessel.
The vessel is fitted with a flight deck and a hanger at stern, which can accommodate one Z-8-size helicopter. This gives the ship an enhanced capability to re-supply warships in a task group by vertical replenishment (VERTREP). which involves using helicopters to ferry supplies from ship to ship. VERTREP may be used to speed up the process of replenishing a ship on one of the RAS rigs, or to re-store another vessel that does not need to take fuel onboard.
The stern view of Qinghaihu (Chinese Internet)
The vessel is powered by a 116,000hp Burmeister & Wain diesel, giving a maximum speed of 16 knots.
