Image credit: The Maritime Executive.
Guangzhou Shipyard’s new jackup bridging barges have been used for their first known over-the-shore logistics exercise at Zhanjiang, China. Three barges were arranged perpendicular to the shoreline, raised up, and connected with bridging ramps to form a temporary “pier” extending into the water.
Photos and videos of these “invasion barges” have been shared widely on Chinese social media. Open-source analyst Damien Symon identified the location using imagery and radar data.
This is not the first time these specialized jackup vessels have been noticed. In January, analysts, including H.I. Sutton, spotted at least three of them at Guangzhou Shipyard and recognized them as amphibious logistics platforms. The barges are designed to bridge the surf zone and transport large volumes of military supplies to a secured beach. The hinged bridge section spans about 400 feet when lowered, and when three barges are lined up, they can reach well beyond the surf zone into deeper waters.
Similar to the “Mulberry Harbors” used in Normandy after D-Day, these vessels would likely be deployed after an amphibious assault secures a beachhead. In a potential cross-strait operation to retake Taiwan, they could offer more landing zone options, allowing Chinese forces to land heavy military equipment early in the conflict without first needing to capture a major seaport, assuming the beachhead is defended.
The U.S. Army/Navy’s equivalent system, Joint Logistics Over the Shore (JLOTS), uses a floating pier tethered to shore for unloading cargo. However, the U.S. system struggles in rough seas, as shown in a failed mission to Gaza last year. The Chinese jackup barges, elevated on legs, are likely more stable in choppy waters than the U.S. floating pier system.