There are roughly twenty sail training ships operated by navies around the world, to help prepare their officers for command at sea. Now China is adding to the fleet. China’s first modern sail training ship is an 85 meter long, 1,200 ton displacement, three masted square-rigger, to be named Polang, which has been under construction since May 2016 at Guangzhou Shipyard in southeastern China on the Pearl River.  The ship will set 2,600 square meters of sail and will accommodate 50 cadets. It is expected to be delivered by the end of 2017.

In preparation for the delivery of Polang, a new training ground has been built ashore at the Dalian Naval Academy. The shore-side facility, which opened in December, features a 32 meter steel mast with yards, booms and rigging to allow training in going aloft and setting and furling sails.