A 2,000-ton patrol ship built by Taiwan's largest private shipbuilder under a consignment contract with the Cabinet-level Coast Guard Administration (CGA) was launched from a shipyard in Kaohsiung Harbor Tuesday. The ship, christened The Tainan, is the largest patrol ship the CGA has ever ordered. The ship is 98.5 meters in length, 13.2 meters at its widest, and has a draft of 7.6 meters, with a maximum speed of 24 knots and a cruising range of over 7,500 nautical miles, according to the builder, Jong Shyn Shipbuilding Co. Addressing the launch ceremony, CGA Minister Wang Ginn-wang said The Tainan will be a big help to boosting the CGA's patrol capability and strength. The launch of the vessel also marked a milestone in Taiwan's private shipbuilding and design, Wang said. The CGA is having other large patrol ships built and the next one, to be completed next year, will be christened The Xinbei. Also speaking at the occasion, Jong Shyn Shipbuilding Chairman Han Pi-hsiang said his company has been contracted by the CGA to build patrol boats for over a decade, building over 20 ships of deadweight ranging from 50 tons to 2,000 tons. The Tainan is designed to be able to weather inclement conditions at sea and is capable of accommodating 68 coast guard personnel for operations on the high seas lasting a month at a time, Han said. It also has a helicopter landing platform on its main deck, he added. 