Photo taken on December 25, 2008 shows the Chinese Navy's supply ship Weishanhu in Sanya, capital of south China's Hainan Province. The Chinese Navy's three-ship fleet awaiting sail to waters off Somalia has finished its preparations for the overseas deployment, the fleet commander said on Thursday. [Xinhua]

The Chinese Navy's three-ship fleet awaiting sail to waters off Somalia has finished its preparations for the overseas deployment, the fleet commander said on Thursday.

The commander, Rear-Admiral Du Jingcheng told Xinhua aboard the Navy's DDG-171 Haikou destroyer that all crew members of the fleet had full confidence in their ability to fulfill the escorting mission.

The Haikou together with another destroyer, DDG-169 Wuhan, and supply ship Weishanhu from the South Sea Fleet will set sail from a port in China's southmost city of Sanya on Hainan island Friday. The fleet will join in the multi-national patrolling of the Gulf of Aden and waters off the coast of Somalia.

The fleet will carry about 800 crew members, including 70 soldiers form the Navy's special force, and is equipped with ship-borne missiles, cannons and light weapons.

"The fleet's warships will primarily safeguard vessels passing through the waters. The fleet's helicopters will be responsible for the fleet's own safety, material delivery as well as rescue tasks," the commander said.

"The fleet will protect and escort Chinese ships carrying strategic cargos, such as crude oil," he added.

The commander, who serves as chief of staff of the Navy's SouthSea Fleet, said that the upcoming mission may take a long time and may involve unforeseeable challenges.

"We have made special preparations to deal with pirates, even though these waters are not familiar to us," he said.

The crewmen have made physical and psychological preparations for the mission by intensified training in shooting, maritime tactics and diving, said Lieutenant Commander Xie Zengling, chief of the special force unit, adding that one special force soldier could handle several enemies with bare hands.

"We are expected to encounter fire conflicts with pirates in these waters," said the fleet's commander, "but our primary target is not striking them but dispelling them."

"If the pirates make direct threats to the warships or the vessels we escort, the fleet will take counter measures," he said.

Fleet equipments in good form

The escorting mission will also be the maiden operation in real combat conditions for the two destroyers. They are among the Chinese Navy's most sophisticated war vessels and both are designed and manufactured by China.

The Weishanhu supply ship started service in 2004, and has participated in the Navy's goodwill visits to south Asia and Europe.

"All the ships' equipment has been is in excellent form after various exercises and training," Real-Admiral Du said.

Captain Long Juan of the Wuhan destroyer said the high temperature, humidity and salinity in the Gulf of Aden and waters off the coast of Somalia could bring challenges to the equipment and crew members.

"To secure the ships' reliability, communication, navigating and power equipment has been provided with backup systems," the captain said.

Adequate supply for months

Seamen of the fleet have been seen transporting pure water, beverages and food from the land base to the warships. All material storage was finished by Thursday evening.

Captain Xi Feijun of the Weishanhu told Xinhua that his ship had stored fuel, water and food to last several months for the fleet.

The ships' mess will provide self-service meals during the entire mission. It will offer dairy products, eggs, vegetables, fruit and other high caloric content food, Captain Long Juan told the Xinhua reporter aboard.

The Xinhua reporter also saw libraries, computer rooms and gymnasiums on the ships which have been prepared for the crew members in their leisure time.

The fleet will be the first overseas deployment for Chinese maritime forces since the 15th century. Previously, the People's Liberation Army Navy focused on coastline defense and limited operations abroad to goodwill visits and drills with other navies.

China's Foreign Ministry officially announced the deployment on Saturday, saying that China will observe UN resolutions and international laws in fulfilling its obligations.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said 1,265 Chinese commercial vessels had passed through the gulf so far this year and seven of them were attacked. One fishing ship and 18 crew members were still being held by pirates.