QINGDAO, May 16 (Xinhua) -- Retired supply ship Hongzehu, one of the first generation of comprehensive supply ship independently designed and built by China, has been handed over to a memorial hall and will be open to the public.

A handover ceremony was held earlier this week at a military port in Qingdao, eastern China's Shandong Province, to mark the transfer of the ship.

The recipient memorial in the city of Taizhou, Jiangsu Province, marks the birthplace of the People's Liberation Army Navy.

First launched in 1979, the Hongzehu ship was commissioned into the Navy in 1980. Over the last 40 years, it has conducted over 1,000 important missions as well as visits overseas.

Thanks to proper maintenance, the ship has stayed in good condition over the decades, according to Navy sources. Enditem