By Jiang Shan and Liu Yaxun
ZHOUSHAN, June 29 (ChinaMil) -- The PLA Navy’s hospital ship Peace Ark (Hull 866) set sail from its homeport in Zhoushan in east China’s Zhejiang Province on Thursday morning to embark on the voyage of “Harmonious Mission 2018”.
It is the Peace Ark’s 7th "Harmonious Mission", which will bring the ship to more than ten countries, including Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga, Columbia, Venezuela, Grenada, Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominican Republic and Ecuador, to provide humanitarian medical services.
Upon invitation of the Chilean Navy, the Chinese naval hospital ship will also have a stop in Chile to participate in the Chilean Navy's 200th founding anniversary celebration activities.
The offshore hospital onboard the Peace Ark has 120 medical staff working in 18 clinical departments and 5 auxiliary ones. The hospital is also equipped with a ship-borne heliambulance.
The year of 2018 marks the 10th year of the Peace Ark's joining the PLA Navy. To date it has visited 37 countries where the doctors onboard have provided humanitarian medical service for more than 180,000 people.