GUANGZHOU: The mainland flagged off a brand new "state-of-the-art" rescue ship to join four of its other vessels deployed in Taiwan Straits over the weekend, keeping in mind the increasing volume of sea traffic during Spring Festival.

The new ship, Donghaijiu 113, equipped with 8,000-kilowatt engines and a helipad, left Guangzhou on the weekend, Sun Fumin, chief of Donghai Rescue Bureau under the Ministry of Transport, announced yesterday.

Donghaijiu 113 is the mainland's second ship with a helipad after Nanhaijiu 101, the mainland's biggest rescue vessel, with 14,000-kilowatt engines, which is deployed in South China Sea as of now.