Another unusual Chinese ship, which analysts think may be built to deploy and retrieve big underwater drones, has been spotted in Guangzhou, the South China Morning Post reports.
Images circulating online show the ship, about 150 metres long, being towed along the Pearl River. It resembles a larger vessel of roughly 200 metres that was seen at a Shanghai shipyard last month and has since been launched. Both ships have prominent vertical structures at the stern, which naval analysts believe could be used to lower big uncrewed submarines into the water and lift them out again.
The sightings have raised questions over whether Beijing is building a fleet of specialised motherships to take its undersea operations beyond coastal waters. The vessels' exact role has not been confirmed.
Source: South China Morning Post
