FPI / May 28, 2025
By Richard Fisher
Little noticed beyond commercial shipping media on May 16, Chinese state media platform Guancha (To Observe) carried a report on the first voyage of the world’s largest Pure Car and Truck Carrier (PCTC) ship, the Anji Ansheng, capable of transporting up to 9,500 average size automobiles.
In May 2024 China commenced shipments by the world’s largest Pure Car and Truck Carrier (PCTC), the estimated 71,000 ton Anji Ansheng, that can carry up to 9,500 cars, or up to four Chinese Army Combined Arms Battalions. / GuanchaIndeed, as the world’s largest auto exporter (2.4 million in 2024), China is also expanding its PCTC fleet, with an April 9, 2024 Reuters report noting that China’s PCTC fleet numbered 33 ships, but that Chinese companies were going to purchase 47 more, for an eventual fleet of 80 ships, but likely many more.
But what is also little noticed, at least as it does not rate mention in the Pentagon’s annual China Military Power Reports, is that by Chinese regulations, civil ferry ships—which include PCTCs — are required to be strong enough to transport People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Ground Force units.
The military potential for the PLA of China’s PCTCs was first mentioned in a February 2018 image of a model of a 20,000-ton PCTC ship “Changdalong” shown carrying military vehicles, posted on Chinese military-issue web pages like “Meyet,” that included an explanatory placard.
The placard noted that the ship’s roll-on-roll-off ramps had been strengthened, that the 3rd and 5th decks (out of 8 decks) had been strengthened, and that “kitchens, sanitary and bathing containers and personnel life support facilities to meet the living and accommodation needs of officers and soldiers during the voyage…addition of a helicopter hovering platform and the installation of life-saving and fire-fighting facilities…[and] command place and military communication equipment interface are reserved.
The placard offered the concluding assessment: “After implementing national defense requirements, the ship has the ability to deploy two entire mechanized infantry battalions at a time to the open sea.”
Today the PLA Navy has a formal large amphibious assault ship fleet of eight 20,000+ ton Type 071 Landing Platform Dock (LPD) ships and four 40,000+ ton flattop helicopter carrying Type 075 Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD), that in an emergency assault on Taiwan could transport about 12,000 troops and about 1,200 combat vehicles — or about 6x lightly armed Combined Arms Brigades.
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As world’s top auto exporter, China readies transport ships as reserve invasion fleet added by Editor Two on May 28, 2025
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