Silk Road Ark sets sail on maiden medical voyage

The People's Liberation Army Navy recently unveiled its latest hardware — an advanced hospital ship.

The gigantic floating hospital, CNS Silk Road Ark, is part of the South Sea Fleet. It has a displacement of more than 10,000 metric tons and is equipped with top medical equipment and 300 patient beds.

The vessel can support the operation of various clinical departments, including orthopedics, general surgery, dermatology and gastroenterology. It allows for eight surgical operations to take place at the same time.

The Silk Road Ark made its public debut on Wednesday as it set sail from a naval port in the coastal city of Zhanjiang, Guangdong province, heading for islands and reefs in the South China Sea such as Yongxing Island and Yongshu Reef.

Doctors and nurses from multiple military hospitals such as the PLA General Hospital and the First Hospital of the PLA Southern Theater Command Navy are onboard the ship during its maiden medical voyage, and will carry out medical diagnosis and treatment, surgical operations and gastrointestinal endoscopies to serve those requiring medical care.

They will also be sent to military barracks and posts to provide services and will train medics for frontline units, conduct lectures on medical knowledge, and help local counterparts check and repair medical equipment.

According to the Navy, the ship is tasked with carrying out medical aid for wartime casualties, serving military personnel and civilians on islands and reefs, performing international humanitarian operations and emergency responses, and fulfilling medical exchanges and cooperation with foreign militaries.

China has one of the world's largest fleets of naval hospital ships with perhaps the most famous being Peace Ark, the only floating hospital in China with a displacement of more than 10,000 tons before the commissioning of the Silk Road Ark.

The Peace Ark, known for its many overseas humanitarian missions, displaces more than 14,000 tons and has 300 beds, eight operating tables as well as 2,400 items of medical apparatus.

Compared with the Peace Ark, the new vessel features greater displacement and a longer sailing range, according to its designers.

Both the Peace Ark and the Silk Road Ark were designed and constructed by China State Shipbuilding Corp, the nation's leading shipbuilder and one of the world's biggest. The Peace Ark is now on a long-term voyage lasting from June to January. It is scheduled to visit 15 countries and will offer medical services to some of the nations.

Dong Qiang, former chairman of China State Shipbuilding Corp, said that China needs mobile forces for medical emergency responses because mobile facilities can be very useful, helpful and convenient as a supplement to the existing hospital system.

"We need hospital ships that can be used along rivers, near coasts or in open seas far from shore. They will be used for both civilian and military purposes," Dong said.