Youlan-class cable layer

Youlan-class cable layer is a class of little-known cable layer built in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) for the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), and it has received the NATO reporting name Youlan, meaning Postal Cable. Contrary to the usual layout of Chinese cable layers built earlier of bow sheaves design, Dong-Lan 885 class cable layers adopt a modern stern sheaves design. The superstructure consists of three levels of decks, with the first deck for enlisted quarters, clinics, conference rooms, and control rooms for cable-laying machinery. The second deck is for officers’ quarters, while the third deck is for the bridge, where navigation, control, and communication consoles are located.