The fleet was based out of the newly expanded Port Arthur (now Lüshunkou District), however since the port froze over during the winter, both "Jiyuan" and the battleships would spend part of the year in Shanghai. The three ships worked up alongside the cruisers and in exercises held in 1886. Several ships of the Beiyang Fleet sailed to Hong Kong from Shanghai at the end of 1889, including "Jiyuan". They sailed onto Singapore, before returning to Shanghai during the following April.