NINGBO -- The 38th escort fleet of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy on Saturday left a military port in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province, for the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somali to escort civilian ships.

The fleet is composed of the guided-missile destroyer Nanjing, the missile frigate Yangzhou, and supply ship Gaoyouhu, with dozens of special operation soldiers and two helicopters on board.

This is the first time for the Nanjing to join an escort mission.

The PLA Navy began to carry out escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia in December 2008.