Chinese Navy's Guided Missile Destroyer Shenzhen that has docked at Kochi on a four-day visit on Saturday. Photo: Special Arrangement

Staff Reporter

Kochi: A Chinese Navy ship, en route to the port of Zhanjiang after deployment in the Gulf of Aden on anti-piracy operations, docked at the port here on Saturday on a four-day visit.

Shenzhen, a guided missile destroyer of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), is commanded by Senior Captain Zhao Chang Sheng and embarks Rear Admiral Yao Zhilou, Deputy Commander of China’s South Sea Fleet.

The crew of the ship is expected to visit the training facilities under the Southern Naval Command during the port call. On Monday,

Zhang Yan, Chinese Ambassador to India, will call on Vice-Admiral Sunil K. Damle, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command. Apart from professional and social interaction, a basket ball match between the two Navies is also slated to take place during the visit.

Shenzhen is the only Type 051B Luhai-class destroyer with a displacement of about 6,100 tonnes. It has a slope-sided hull designed with a view to minimising radar signature to dodge detection. It took part in the PLA Navy’s first goodwill visit to Africa in 2000, Europe in 2001 and Japan in 2007.