Its sailing ceremony took place at the dockyard on Dec. 23.

Present there were O Su Yong, secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, Yang Sung Ho, vice premier of the Cabinet, Kang Jong Gwan, minister of Land and Maritime Transport, officials concerned and officials and employees of the Ryongnam Dockyard.

A letter of thanks from the WPK Central Committee to the workers, technicians and officials of the Ryongnam Dockyard was read out.

The WPK Central Committee stressed in the letter that the successful building of a cargo ship of over 10,000-ton at the dockyard, which is not a professional shipbuilding base, is a proud result of the high political enthusiasm, boundless patriotism and persevering attack spirit of the working people of the dockyard.

The letter expressed belief that the workers, technicians and officials of the Ryongnam Dockyard would add eternal glory to the proud history and tradition of upholding the Party and the socialist country with the spirit of self-reliance and self-development and through steady practice by achieving great innovation in the work to expand and cement the production foundation and build and repair cargo ships.

Kang Jong Gwan made a report to be followed by speeches at the ceremony.

After the ceremony the ship left sounding a whistle.