More than 30,000 antiques are expected to be salvaged from Nan'ao-1, an ancient merchant vessel that sank about 500 years ago off the coast of South China's Guangdong Province.

The salvage operation, which started in June, was suspended due to the effects of typhoon Kai-Tak, which made landfall in the coastal area of Guangdong at noon on Friday.

The current round of underwater archaeological work will finish by the end of September, said Cui Yong, head of the team of archaeologists.

The ship sank in the Sandianjin waters off Nan'ao county, Shantou, during the mid- to late-Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

The ship is believed to have been bound for the Philippines and Malaysia, said Cui.