Beidiao 993 (Chinese: 北调 993) is an experimental ship chartered by the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), and operated by the 760th Research Institute of China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC), receiving NATO reporting name Kantan^[2][3][4]勘探 in Chinese, meaning Exploration.

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History
China
Name	Beidiao 993
Namesake	North Investigation
Builder	Tongfang Jiangxin Shipbuilding Company, China
Commissioned	December 2000
Status	in active service, as of 2014[update]
General characteristics [1]
Displacement	2,300 t (2,300 long tons; 2,500 short tons)
Length	86.40 m (283 ft 6 in) o/a 81.50 m (267 ft 5 in) w/l
Beam	14.6 m (47 ft 11 in)
Draught	3.80 m (12 ft 6 in)
Depth	6.80 m (22 ft 4 in)
Propulsion	3 × 2,200 kW (2,950 hp) MaK 6M453C diesel engines
Speed	16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Range	1,500 nmi (2,800 km; 1,700 mi)
Complement	30 naval + 70 civilian

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Beidiao 993 is specifically designed to carry out experiments of acoustic equipment, such as sonar, and its crew is often composed both naval and civilian staff. Constructed by the Tongfang Jiangxin Shipbuilding Company (同方江新造船有限公司) in Jiangxi, trials begun in December 2000 in Dalian and the ship entered service in the same month. In addition to support sonar development, this ship is also equipped to perform various other research tasks and thus also received hull classification of general scientific research ship (AGE/AG).^[2][3][4]The name Beidiao means North (Sea Fleet) Investigation (Ship).