Ngong Shuen Chau Naval Base

Ngong Shuen Chau Naval Base (Chinese: 昂船洲海軍基地) is part of the People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison and small naval base on Stonecutters Island (Ngong Shuen Chau), Hong Kong. It is home to the South Sea Fleet Squadron # 38081 and sub-base to the naval squadron of the South Sea Fleet. The area surrounding the base is off limits to civilian ship traffic.[1]

Ngong Shuen Chau Naval Base
Hong Kong; Stonecutter's Island
Coordinates22°19′20″N 114°8′10″E
TypeNaval base
Site information
Controlled byPeople's Liberation Army Navy
Site history
Built1997
In use1997 – Present
Garrison information
Past
commanders		Major General Zhang Shibo
GarrisonPeople's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison, South Sea Fleet, Southern Theater Command
Ngong Shuen Chau Naval Base
Traditional Chinese昂船洲海軍基地
Simplified Chinese昂船洲海军基地

History

The naval base was built by the contractors during the handover period in 1996–1997 and one of a few military installations that was not transferred from the British. The naval base is located on the South Shore of the former Stonecutter's Island and located south of the former HMS Tamar (now the Government Dockyard). Most of the facility was created from dredging and in-fill project in the early 1990s in anticipation of the move of Tamar and the handover. The older buildings and recreation facilities were inherited from the Hong Kong Military Service Corps. Many buildings in the base date to the 1930s, but some are as far back as the 1870s.

A list of historic buildings at the naval facility:

  • Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes
  • Lido - recreation facilities including a pool
  • Building # 31 - South Shore
  • Building # 23 (old Fire Station) - South Shore
  • Building # 25 - South Shore
  • Ferry Waiting Room
  • Shaffies Curry House - South Shore
  • Old Military Prison
  • Colchester Road
  • Didcot Road
  • Upside-Down House (#24 South Shore)
  • Ammunition Depot and Bunkers
  • Sub Ammo Depot
  • Married Quarters
  • LEP/HKMSC Medical Centre
  • Barracks #25 - built 1905
  • Old Centurion Battery
  • Western Battery
  • Eastern Battery
  • Watch Towers
  • South Shore Gun Battery
  • Armament Depot
  • Officer's Mess
  • Old Watch Tower 1870
  • Wuthering Height's Quarters
  • St Barbara's Garrison Church
  • East Pier
  • Transmitting Station
  • Receiving Station
  • Central Battery

Roads within the base once had British names, but they have since been dropped:

  • Colchester Road
  • Didcot Road

The most high-profile visitor to the base was Hu Jintao in 2007.

Ships

Various ships of the People's Liberation Army Navy visit the base, but only a few ships remain on semi-permanent basis.

Class or name Builder Type Quantity Year Entered ServiceDetails Photos
Type 056 JIangdao class Huangpu Shipyard, Guangzhou, China Corvette 2 2013 596 惠州 / Huizhou

597 钦州 / Qinzhou
PLAN Huizhou escorting the Liaoning into Lamma Channel
Type 074-II Yuhai classWuhu Shipyard of Wuhu, Anhui  People's Republic of ChinaMedium Landing Ship32017-83357, 3358, and 3359

Two 25 mm guns
Type 721 Guangxi Guiyang shipyard. Light transport boat 2 1990s 42 meters long, 8.8 meters wide and 2.14 meters tall. It has a full displacement of 140 tons, a speed of 33 knots and a maximum range of 300 nautical miles. It can carry 70 people and 2 tons of materials.

Facilities

Like the last HMS Tamar, Ngong Shuen Chau is a low-frills and low key naval facility.

Access to the base is made via Chi Ngong Road, but access into the naval yard is restricted and surrounding areas fenced off. A heavily wooded area to the north protects the base from unwanted visitors.

  • basin and concrete berthing facility
  • naval barracks
  • exercise track
  • parade grounds
  • numerous low-rise naval buildings
  • Ngong Shuen Chau Naval Base Theatre[2]

During the summer months the base is open to the public, but otherwise closed during most of the year.[3]

References
  1. "CAP 313A Shipping and Port Control Regulations Schedule 5 Restricted Areas, etc". Hong Kong Legal Information Institute. 2012. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
  2. "Hong Kong Ngong Shuen Chau Naval Base Theatre". macostar.com. 2007. Archived from the original on 2 March 2012. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
  3. "Hong Kong citizens visit Naval Base of PLA Garrison". The Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China. September 19, 2009. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
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