This Day, That Year

Editor's note: This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of New China.

On Jan 8, 1968, the cargo vessel Dongfeng was officially completed and entered commercial operation. It was China's first self-designed and manufactured cargo ship, with a deadweight tonnage of more than 10,000 metric tons.

Requiring five years of research and construction, the vessel was 161 meters in length and 20 meters at the beam (its widest point).