China's state television has released an image of a heavy submersible transport platform Yinmahu capable of carrying warships, Insider reports.

According to the publication, this is the first public announcement of the unique vessel, which is the second such platform of the Chinese Navy. Another such ship, the Chinese Navy's Donghaidao large-capacity vessel, was commissioned in 2015.

The platform operates on the dry dock principle. To load the transported ship, the ship plunges to a certain depth to allow it to dock, and then floats up. As a result, the ship is completely lifted out of the water, allowing it to be repaired and serviced during transport.

Insider reports that Yinmahu is capable of carrying ships with a displacement of more than 100,000 tons - for comparison, the displacement of the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning is 70,500 tons.

Only the United States has similar platforms for transporting damaged ships.