At around 9 a.m. on the 14th, the first vessel of China’s Type 076 amphibious assault ships, the Sichuan ship, cast off from the dock at Shanghai Hudong Zhonghua Shipyard and set sail for designated waters to carry out its maiden sea trial mission.
This sea trial will primarily test and verify the reliability and stability of the Sichuan ship’s power and electrical systems.
With the help of five tugboats, the Sichuan ship departed from the dock at Shanghai Hudong Zhonghua Shipyard and headed towards the designated sea area. The Sichuan ship carries hull number 51 and has a full-load displacement of over 40,000 tons. It features a double-island superstructure and a full-length flight deck, and innovatively employs electromagnetic catapult and arresting gear technologies. It is capable of carrying fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and amphibious equipment, among others.
According to official media reports, since its launch in December 2024, the construction of the Sichuan ship has progressed steadily according to plan, successfully completing mooring trials and equipment commissioning, and now meets the technical requirements for sea trials.
On December 27, 2024, the launch and naming ceremony for the lead ship of the domestically-designed and constructed Type 076 amphibious assault ship was held at Shanghai Hudong Zhonghua Shipyard. The lead ship was named "People’s Liberation Army Navy Sichuan Ship."