Twelve Vietnamese professional divers are excavating a sunken ancient ship laden with porcelain products made in China's Ming dynasty in the 16th century in central Quang Ngai province, according to the National Museum of Vietnamese History on Tuesday.

The excavation, which started on Monday, is expected to be complete in two months.

The museum said that this is the first sunken ancient ship to be excavated using state budget without foreign assistance.

The ship, whose length is about 30 meters, was discovered by a local company when it dredged a sea passage to build a deep-water seaport in the province.

China's Ming dynasty was renowned for ceramics and porcelain.