Type 744 buoy tender

Type 744 buoy tender and its derivatives with the NATO reporting name Yannan (延南) class is a class of Chinese buoy tender that is in service with the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and Chinese civilian governmental establishments. It is a boat or vessel which services and replaces buoys.

Precursors

Type 985

Type 744 derived from the Type 985 buoy tender, the first purpose built buoy tender in the Chinese inventory. Type 985 is designed to be the replacement of earlier buoy tenders converted from former US Navy net laying ships. In the early 1980s, maritime navigational responsibility was transferred from PLAN to Ministry of Transport of the People's Republic of China (MOT). Type 985 was among the equipment transferred from PLAN to MOT and has remained in civilian service since.[1]

Type 994

Type 994 buoy tender is the larger cousin of the smaller Type 985 buoy tender, from which it is developed. Like Type 985, all units of this class were transferred to civilian service under MOT:[1]

Type 744

Type 744 employs design modifications based on the experience with earlier ships. Type 744 is designed by the 708th Institute of China State Shipbuilding Corporation. The 708th Institute is more commonly known as China Shipbuilding and Oceanic Engineering Design Academy.[2] Construction began in December 1979 and four were completed, with the last ship entering service in May 1981. The most obvious external visual difference between Types 744 and 994 is that the former lacks the mast in the bow. Type 744 buoy tenders were not transferred from military to civilian authorities, and remained in PLAN service. The ship received NATO reporting name as Yannan (延南) class. Specification:[3]

Type 744A

In January 2017, Type 744A, an improved version of Type 744 entered Chinese service, replacing earlier Type 744 No Dongbiao 263, which retired from Chinese Navy on August 1, 2015 and transferred to civilian service.[4] This latest (as of 2017) buoy tender of Chinese navy is similar in size in comparison to earlier models, but automation is greatly enhanced.[4] Type 744A is capable of performing designed tasks under sea state 3 and safely navigation in sea state 5.[4] However, there are disagreement over the type designation of this ship in that according to Chinese type designation convention, improved versions of existing types are followed by either A or G, and new design would receive a different number. Although the ship is an improvement of earlier Type 744, some Chinese media claims that the designation is Type 944A instead,[4] but there is known official confirmation of Type 944 from China.

Buoy tender fleet
Type Builder Commissioned Status Pennant # Displacement (t) Length (m)
985 Jiangnan Shipyard Co., Ltd 1966 Active in civilian service Haibiao (海标) 624 1120 65.22
994 Active in civilian service 1750 72.35
744 Jiangnan Shipyard Co., Ltd Dec 6, 1980 East Sea Fleet Dongbiao (东标) 263 1750 72.35
744 Jiangnan Shipyard Co., Ltd Dec 14, 1980 South Sea Fleet Nanbiao (南标) 463 1750 72.35
744 Jiangnan Shipyard Co., Ltd Mar 1981 North Sea Fleet Beibiao (北标) 982 1750 72.35
744 Jiangnan Shipyard Co., Ltd May 1981 North Sea Fleet Beibiao (北标) 983 1750 72.35
744A Jiangnan Shipyard Co., Ltd January 23, 2017 East Sea Fleet Dongbiao (东标) 265 1750 72.35

References
  1. "Type 995 & 985 buoy tenders". Archived from the original on 2014-05-12. Retrieved 2008-12-02.
  2. 中国船舶及海洋工程设计研究
  3. Type 744
  4. "Type 744A". Retrieved January 25, 2017.
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