Joint patrol trolls waters off Guangdong, Fujian

Guangzhou (CNS) – The vessel Coast Guard 31 set sail from Gaolan Port, Zhuhai City at 3 pm March 5, to participate in a joint patrol serving as the flagship.

Under the deployment by the Maritime Safety Administration of China, eight vessels administered by the governments of Guangdong Province and Fujian Province will perform a joint patrol to safeguard waters in the territories. The maneuvers are scheduled from March 5 to 19.

Intense fog is a high frequency event in the coastal area of Fujian and Guangdong provinces and in recent days it has been hugging the Taiwan Straits. Visibility is so low that mariners can see no further than 30 meters in some areas. The Taiwan Straits area not only provides a route for commercial ships but also supports a traditional fishery. In such heavy fog, the dangers of commercial and fishing vessels colliding can only increase.

According to captain Liu Tianjun of Coast Guard 31, the joint patrol will carry out inspections in key waters such as zones needing strict traffic control areas, accident-prone areas and oil drilling platforms.