QINGDAO -- The 42nd fleet of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy set out from a military port in East China's Shandong province on Wednesday to take over an escort mission from the 41st naval fleet in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia.

The 42nd fleet is mainly composed of naval troops and equipment from the PLA Northern Theater Command, including the guided-missile destroyer Huainan, the missile frigate Rizhao and a supply vessel, with dozens of special-operations soldiers and two helicopters on board.

In preparation for the mission, the fleet conducted counter-terrorism and anti-piracy training, and training on commercial vessel rescue, the use of weapons and other subjects.