TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s Narwhal submarine has completed its fifth surface test in waters off Kaohsiung, Taiwan Shipbuilding Corporation (CSBC) confirmed Wednesday. 

CSBC said the Narwhal was moved from a dry dock to berth at Pier No. 91 and that preparations for sea trials are continuing as scheduled, CNA reported. The vessel will head back out to sea again in the coming days, CSBC said.

CSBC has said it prioritizes safety at each stage of the sea trials. Foreign supervisors, technical assistance personnel, and equipment suppliers participate in testing and calibration in accordance with the test procedure manuals and project requirements, the shipbuilder said. 

The defense ministry said last month that after the submarine failed to meet delivery conditions, penalty charges began to accrue. The corporation was fined approximately NT$190,000 (US$6005) every day the vessel was behind schedule. 

Once the submarine gets back on track, the Navy will calculate the number of delayed days, and the total penalty will be deducted from payments the Navy has not yet made to CSBC, per CNA.

CSBC recently released a series of explainer materials on topics such as submarine propulsion systems and diesel engines to help the public learn more about submarines.