China is reportedly building coast guard ships with water-jet propulsion, a design that an expert said would provide new capabilities for operating in the disputed South China Sea.
Newsweek has reached out to the Chinese Foreign Ministry for comment via email.
Why It Matters
The China Coast Guard operates the world’s largest maritime law enforcement fleet, with more than 150 vessels over 1,000 tons—including two 12,000-ton “monster ships,” the largest coast guard vessels in the world—bolstering Beijing’s presence in disputed waters.
Citing what it calls “historic rights,” China claims sovereignty over most of the territories in the South China Sea, overlapping with those of neighboring countries and often leading to standoffs and clashes between rival maritime forces, particularly those of the Philippines.
Last month, a Chinese coast guard vessel collided with a naval destroyer while attempting to drive away a Philippine patrol ship in the South China Sea, leaving its bow crumpled and twisted. The damaged vessel was later seen undergoing repairs at a base.
What To Know
Alex Luck, a naval analyst in Australia, shared four photos on Monday—originally posted on a Chinese social media platform—showing a new Chinese coast guard vessel being fitted out at a shipyard in Guangzhou, southern China, featuring a water-jet propulsion design.
Water-jets provide more efficient propulsion at speeds above 34 miles per hour, the analyst told Newsweek, compared with propellers, which are efficient between 23 and 34 miles per hour. This system also functions like vectored thrust, increasing a vessel’s maneuverability.
Vectored thrust is the ability to change the angle of the thrust.
The new vessel may be capable of more agile maneuvers since it lacks rudders, potentially allowing it to avoid incidents like the recent collision, Luck added. Water-jets also perform better in shallow waters, as they do not protrude below the hull like propellers and rudders.
In an article for defense outlet Naval News earlier this year, Luck said the ship, which he described as a “corvette-sized offshore patrol vessel,” is estimated to be 328 feet long with a displacement of 1,500 to 2,000 tons. It is armed with a main gun and can carry helicopters.
In his post on social media platform X, Luck said the water-jet propulsion design is a first for the China Coast Guard on a hull of this size, with two shipyards building this type of ship.
While water-jets provide a ship with high speed, they are less efficient at speeds below 23 miles per hour, the analyst noted. This propulsion design also requires more maintenance and is overall less economical, as it consumes more fuel in high-speed operations.
The new CCG cutter fitting out at Huangpu, Guangzhou. Both Huangpu and Hudong are building this new design, which features waterjet propulsion as a first for the service on a hull this size. Via “ACuriousPLAFan”/SDF. pic.twitter.com/6JQliUN6xC
— Alex Luck (@AlexLuck9) September 1, 2025
What People Are Saying
Alex Luck, a naval analyst in Australia, told Newsweek: “In any case this new production run of vessels at Huangpu and Hudong [shipyards] suggests the [China Coast Guard] is serious about introducing this [water-jet propulsion] capability.”
The Pentagon’s Chinese military power report commented: “The [China Coast Guard]’s continued expansion and modernization makes it the largest maritime law enforcement fleet in the world. Newer [China Coast Guard] vessels are larger and more capable, enabling them to operate farther offshore and remain on station longer.”
What Happens Next
China is likely to continue expanding its coast guard fleet to maintain a persistent presence in disputed waters. It remains unclear what types of new ships will be built as a follow-up.
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