'Zheng He' ship passes through Panama Canal

The "Zheng He" oceangoing training ship of the Navy of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) which was on the "Harmonious Mission – the 'Zheng He' oceangoing training ship's voyage around the world" passed through the Panama Canal successfully at 02:00 of July 9, 2012, local time.

The Panama Canal is the second man-made canal the "Zheng He" ship has passed through during its voyage around the world. The ship passed through the Suez Canal on May 27, 2012.

At 00:30 of July 9, the reporters saw in the chart room and the pilot room that the midshipmen who acted as probationary watch officers and navigation officers were carrying out operations and chart work according to instructions. In Classroom 1 and Classroom 2, the midshipmen were conducting synchronized maritime operation training under the guidance of their instructors.

Song Hui, head of the teaching group on the ship and deputy director of the Training Department of the Dalian Naval Academy of the PLA Navy, told the reporters that besides conducting maritime operation training in the whole course of passing through the canal, the midshipmen also acted as probationary navigation officers and watch officers in batches and participated in such work as translation, guidance and mooring.

After passing through the Panama Canal, the "Zheng He" ship is scheduled to drop anchor in the Gulf of Panama for refueling and replenishment. Afterwards, it will sail into the South Pacific Ocean.