PANO – A flag-raising ceremony for Ship 286, the first-ever the modern sailing vessel of the Vietnam People’s Navy, was held by the service at the Military Port of Naval Academy in Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa province.

Deputy Director of the General Department of Logistics Senior Lieutenant General Mai Quang Phan, Deputy Chief of the General Staff Vice Admiral Pham Ngoc Minh, and Commissar of the Navy Vice Admiral Dinh Gia That attended the event.

Named after the Vietnamese philosopher Le Quy Don, the Ship 286 with 67m long, 10m wide and a displacement of 857 tons is rated as one of the most modern sailing ships in the region and the world.

The ship was built in Marine Project Factory in Poland. After the launching, the Vietnamese naval officers and sailors conducted an over 18,000 nautical mile-long virgin voyage to bring the ship from Poland to Vietnam on January 27th. It crossed the Baltic Sea, Atlantic Ocean, South America, Pacific Ocean, and the East Sea.

It is tasked to carry out the Naval Academy’s training at sea, military external affairs missions, among others.

Addressing the ceremony, Vice Admiral Dinh Gia That stressed that the official assignment of the modern ship to the Navy is a significant step demonstrating the care and the strategic vision of the Party, State, and Ministry of National Defence in building the navy into a modern force to meet the demand for the missions of managing and protecting national sovereignty over sea and islands in the new context.

The crewmembers were asked to actively self-study and take full advantages of the supports of foreign experts to quickly master technical equipment to serve the training and combat readiness missions of the Navy while ensuring effectiveness and absolute safety.

Here are some photos at the ceremony.

Vice Admiral Dinh Gia That (left) encouraging crewmembers
The delegates at the ceremony
 
The national and naval flags handed over to the ship’s captains and commissars
 
 The national flag hoisted on the modern ship
 
 Preparing for heading to the open sea
 
 Modern guest room in the ship
 
 Crew members preparing for a meal
The ship ready for training at sea
Translated by Tran Hoai