A synthetic brigade belonging to China’s 81st Group Army under the Central Theater Command recently conducted a “1,000-man, 1,000-vehicle, 1,000-mile delivery exercise” on the Shandong Peninsula, according to a military report by China’s CCTV.
During this period, the army used a large ro-ro passenger ship to transport a large number of Type 96A tanks, Type 04A infantry fighting vehicles and other combat equipment, as well as various logistics vehicles belonging to the brigade. Similar drills have been held in the recent past.
The PLA in China’s Central Theater is known as the Strategic Mobile Force, a reserve force that supports front-line combat units. The 81st Group’s intention in the exercise is also very obvious – only the war across the Taiwan Strait requires such a large scale and intensity of delivery.
According to public data, the ro-ro passenger ship involved in the exercise is called “China Renaissance”, which is the largest luxury ro-ro passenger ship in Asia built by Bohai Ferry Company at a cost of RMB 420 million, with 44,000 tons of gross tonnage, a passenger quota of 2,000 people, and three levels of vehicle compartments that can carry 350 vehicles of all sizes.