noun
factory ship; repair ship
A vessel equipped for manufacturing or repair work at sea, such as processing fish or repairing other ships.
この工作船は遠洋漁業で獲れた魚を船上で加工する。
This factory ship processes the fish caught by deep-sea fishing on board.
noun
A vessel used for intelligence gathering, often disguised as a fishing boat; frequently associated with North Korean operations in Japanese waters.
海上保安庁は不審な工作船を追跡した。
The Japan Coast Guard pursued a suspicious spy ship.