Chinese-built dredging vessel Tian Kun Hao, the largest of its kind in Asia, departs a port for its first sea trial, in Qidong, east China's Jiangsu Province, June 8, 2018. The 140-meter-long vessel, with the designed capacity to dredge 6,000 cubic meters per hour, can dig as deep as 35 meters under the sea floor. The three-day sea trial will test its power system, speed and anchoring, and check other navigational aids such as radar and gyrocompass. After being tested, the vessel will sail back to the shipyard and is expected to be delivered in August. (Xinhua/Li Xiang)

A Chinese-built dredging vessel, the largest of its kind in Asia, departed a port in east China's Jiangsu Province Friday afternoon for its first sea trial.

Tian Kun Hao, constructed by Tianjin Dredging Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of China Communication Construction Co., Ltd. (CCCC), will undertake a three-day trial at sea, according to the company.

"The sea trial will test its power system, speed and anchoring, and check other navigational aids such as radar and gyrocompass," said Wang Jian, deputy chief engineer of CCCC Tianjin Dredging.

After being tested, the vessel will sail back to the shipyard and is expected to be delivered in August, according to Wang.

More than 120 staff including vessel crew and engineers are on board.

The 140-meter-long vessel, with the designed capacity to dredge 6,000 cubic meters per hour, can dig as deep as 35 meters under the sea floor.

On sea floors with rocks, the vessel's 6,600-kilowatt dredging equipment can mince hard rocks and pump the silt into the vessel.