THE Dalian Shipping Thrusters Factory has constructed the world's largest propeller, which has been inspected and approved by Britain's Lloyd's Register, Xinhua said.

The propeller was built for one of the largest shipbuilders in Europe.

It weighs 98.4 tonnes and has a diameter measuring nearly nine metres. It took three months to build and is said to be the largest of its kind in the world.

The European shipyard which ordered the propeller signed an agreement with the Dalian factory to produce a total of seven propellers with the same dimensions. The remaining six are scheduled to be completed by the end of October 2005, the report added.