Xin Hai Xu, a Nantong-made dredging vessel, is pictured at a launching ceremony in Haimen, a county-level city in Nantong, East China's Jiangsu province, on April 2. [Photo/VCG]

A large Nantong-made dredging vessel set sail on April 2 from Haimen, a county-level city in Nantong, East China's Jiangsu province for Saudi Arabia to support its offshore oil exploration.

The 138-meter-long, 28-meter-wide dredger named Xin Hai Xu can dig as deep as 36 meters under the sea floor and dredge 6,500 cubic meters per hour, according to its builder, Jiangsu Haixin Shipping Heavy Industries Co. Ltd.

For the next two and half years, the vessel will help build two artificial islands and carry out waterway dredging operations for offshore oil and gas exploration in Saudi Arabia, said Zhang Bibo, head of technology with the company.

Zhang said that after completing its mission, the vessel will continue to provide dredging services in the Middle East, especially for countries along the Belt and Road.

China has developed nearly 100 such dredging vessels, which have become important equipment serving at ports and terminals of countries along the Belt and Road, Zhang added.