Guangdong and Hainan departments cooperate to patrol Qiongzhou Strait, building a strong line of defense for maritime travel safety.

On the first day of the National Day holiday, the Qiongzhou Strait saw busy maritime traffic. Led by the maritime authorities of Guangdong and Hainan, a joint patrol and law enforcement operation was officially launched in collaboration with several sea-related units. The "Haixun 09" vessel, as one of the main law enforcement ships for this patrol, navigated the main channel of the strait, working in coordination with the "Haixun 03" and other ships to strengthen maritime safety in the Qiongzhou Strait with stringent measures, ensuring safe travel for passengers crossing the sea and the smooth transport of energy and essential supplies.

This patrol primarily covered the designated ship routing waters and critical waterways at the east and west entrances of the Qiongzhou Strait. On the bridge of the "Haixun 09" vessel, law enforcement personnel monitored the real-time movement of ships within the jurisdiction, closely observing the order of navigation on passenger ferry routes, verifying compliance with the routing system, reporting requirements, and international collision prevention regulations, to maintain orderly navigation in passenger ferry transportation channels during the holiday.

In response to collision risks between commercial and fishing vessels, the patrol team focused on areas with heavy traffic of these ships, conducting on-site inspections and issuing safety alerts to fishing vessels. They corrected behaviors such as fishing boats occupying navigation channels and engaging in illegal fishing, guiding them to operate in a standardized manner and preventing collisions between commercial and fishing vessels. Simultaneously, law enforcement personnel patrolled the marine environment, identified floating pollutants, cracked down on illegal ship discharge activities, and investigated and rectified issues like illegal navigation obstructions caused by aquaculture and sand excavation, to protect the ecological environment of the strait.

During the patrol, the team inspected the effectiveness of navigational aids and safety signs along the route, checked the order of maritime radio communications, and strictly handled violations such as vessels not operating AIS (Automatic Identification System) equipment as required or not maintaining proper VHF radio watch. Additionally, through a multi-department joint mechanism and in coordination with anti-smuggling forces, they conducted comprehensive inspections in key water areas, screened suspicious vessels, and worked to prevent and combat smuggling activities at sea.

It is reported that for this joint patrol, Guangdong and Hainan sent out a total of five law enforcement vessels, including the "Haixun 09" and "Haixun 03," covering a patrol distance of 160 nautical miles. A total of 36 personnel were deployed, and 28 vessels were inspected. During the National Day holiday, maritime units from Guangdong and Hainan will set up four maritime outpost positions in the Qiongzhou Strait, deploying 23 ships and one rescue helicopter to enforce 24-hour duty. This ensures a quick response to maritime emergencies, stabilizes the transportation channel for energy and essential supplies in the Qiongzhou Strait, and safeguards the safety, smoothness, and efficiency of the public's sea crossings.