Lightship to shine bright at new show
Print Edition
A 144-year-old lightship that once guided vessels to safety in the waterways around Shanghai yesterday made a poignant return to the city.
The “Yingkou” first arrived in Shanghai in 1896 and was put to work near the mouth of the Yangtze River. Later this year it will take pride of place at a special exhibition planned by the China Maritime Museum.
Before being presented to the public, the 32-meter-long, 8-meter-wide vessel will undergo a program of renovation, said Wang Jun, director of the museum’s cultural relics department.
“Repairs are needed to the deck and the light itself, but most of the vessel is still in good condition,” he said.
“The ‘Yingkou’ is a fine example of late-19th century shipbuilding and we will make sure we maintain its original appearance as best we can,” he said.
The 220-ton vessel was built in Britain in 1871, before sailing to China and spending most of its working life near Yingkou Port in northeast China’s Liaoning Province.
Lightships, as their name suggests, act as beacons for vessels in waters that are difficult to navigate or even treacherous in the dark.
“The ‘Yingkou’ kept many ships safe,” said 89-year-old Wang Xianhua, who worked on the ship for 37 years.
The waterways near Yingkou Port are “some of the most challenging rivers in China,” he said.
“Before the ‘Yingkou’ went into service, ships would frequently run aground or even sink in that area, so it helped prevent a lot of collisions and even lives,” he said.
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