Xi Jinping: China’s head of state is building up the fleet.Image: keystone
China is apparently building a supply ship that exceeds all previously known dimensions. It would be a strategic milestone for the Chinese navy.
Jul 19, 2026, 4:57 amJul 19, 2026, 4:57 am
Tobias Schibilla / t-online
An extraordinarily large ship is taking shape at a shipyard in southern China. According to analysis of satellite images, it could be the largest naval supply ship in the world. This is reported by the US portal “The War Zone”, which specializes in military developments. There is currently no official information from China – the assessments are based primarily on aerial photographs and analyzes by experts.
The ship will be built on the island of Longxue, southeast of the megacity of Guangzhou. According to “The War Zone”, satellite images from the provider Planet Labs show that the work has been going on since February at the latest. The shipyard is operated by COMEC, formerly known as Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) and a subsidiary of the state-owned company China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC).
The shipyard primarily builds large merchant ships such as tankers and freighters, but has recently also attracted attention with unusual military or dual-use ships.
Ship is around 270 meters long
According to the analysis of satellite images, the ship is around 270 meters long and around 37 meters wide at its widest point. At the bow there is a structure with a bridge and mast, at the stern there is another structure with exhaust chimneys. A large flight deck and a hangar are apparently also being built there. A shipyard photo published by the CSSC in May and reported by the South China Morning Post shows a hangar with two openings.
China Is Building A Monster Supply Ship For Its Carrier Groups
What looks to be the largest at-sea replenishment ship anywhere in the world is taking shape at a Chinese shipyard.https://t.co/H2Te4yRpcm
— TWZ (@thewarzonewire) July 17, 2026
The area between the two superstructures is particularly revealing: there are several pillar-like structures close to both sides of the fuselage. Such masts are typical of ships that provide fuel and supplies to other units on the high seas. Additional material could be transported via the flight deck and helicopter. The specialist service Jane’s classified the hull as wide and box-shaped back in April – designed for volumes for fuel, supplies and ammunition, as is usual for large suppliers of carrier groups.
The structure of the ship is similar to the Type 901 that China’s navy already uses – but significantly larger. At around 240 meters long and almost 31 meters wide, the Type 901 is itself a large ship and, when fully loaded, displaces around 45,000 tons. It is unclear what armament the new building will receive for self-defense. The Type 901 has four 30-millimeter guns for close-range defense.
New ship increases aircraft carrier range
According to “The War Zone”, such a ship would be an important building block for China’s navy. Supply on the high seas is considered a prerequisite for a navy to be able to operate far from home for long periods of time without having to rely on friendly ports.
China is increasingly using conventionally powered aircraft carriers and their accompanying ships, which require regular fuel and supplies. At the same time, the Chinese fleet is growing elsewhere, for example with the large Type 076 and 075 landing ships.
Exactly how the ship is equipped cannot be said from the outside. According to “The War Zone,” a clearer picture will only emerge once construction is further advanced.