According to information published by the Japanese MoD on December 19, 2022, it was confirmed that a Chinese Navy Shupang-class survey ship sailed through Japan's territorial waters near Yakushima Island. This is the 9th time, the first since November this year, that a Chinese Naval vessel entry into Japan’s territorial waters.
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Chinese Navy's Shupang class hydrographic survey ship. (Picture source: Japanese MoD)
The Type 636 and its successor Type 636A hydrographic survey ships is type of Chinese survey and research vessel designed to replace earlier Type 625 and Type 635 research vessels, and is currently in service with the People's Liberation Army Navy and Chinese Coast Guard. Type 636 & 636A has received NATO reporting name Shupang class.
Type 636 hydrographic survey ship and its successor Type 636A are both designed by of the 708th Institute of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), which is also more commonly known as China Shipbuilding and Oceanic Engineering Design Academy nowadays.
Special attention was given to vibration reduction measures and the internal noise generated by the ship itself was much lower than other ships of similar size. The ship was built by Wuhu Shipyard and entered service in August 1998. On November 16, 2011, it was transferred to Chinese Coast Guard.
The survey ships have a length of 129.82 meters, a beam of 17 m, and a range of 15 000 nautical miles. They can reach a top speed of 15 knots and have a displacement of 5872 tons.
