The Maritime Safety Administration of the Ministry of Transport is promoting quality and efficiency improvements in pollution prevention and control for inland vessels.

　　On April 14, the centralized office for experience exchange on "zero discharge" of inland vessel water pollutants, organized by the Maritime Safety Administration of the Ministry of Transport, was successfully held in Foshan, Guangdong. This centralized office is not only a key measure to enhance the quality and efficiency of inland vessel pollution prevention and accelerate the green and low-carbon transformation of shipping, but also an important deployment to comprehensively promote the mature governance experience of the Yangtze River to the Pearl River and Heilongjiang River systems, aiming to achieve integrated advancement and systematic improvement of inland vessel water pollution prevention nationwide.

　　During the discussion, representatives from Shanghai, the Yangtze River, and Jiangsu took the lead in sharing their practical experiences with "zero discharge" of inland vessel water pollutants in the Yangtze River region. Representatives from Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Heilongjiang, Shenzhen, and other direct bureaus reported on the current status of vessel water pollution regulation in their jurisdictions, existing issues, and next steps in their work plans. Participants engaged in in-depth discussions on deepening inland vessel water pollution prevention and promoting the "zero discharge" governance model.

　　After a full day of experience exchange and research, representatives from various regions gained a comprehensive understanding of the achievements in "zero discharge" of vessel pollutants in the Pearl River basin, represented by Foshan. Foshan's innovative practices in the application of intelligent reception equipment, the construction of the "marine inspection linkage" mechanism, and the planning and layout of green service zones on the water were highly recognized by attendees. The Foshan maritime department will take this centralized office as a new starting point, fully drawing on the "zero discharge" practical experience of the Yangtze River region, strengthening upstream and downstream coordination in the Xijiang and Beijiang water areas, and striving to implement and achieve results in "zero discharge" of inland vessel pollutants in the Pearl River system. Foshan, as an important water source area in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, is densely populated with major water intake projects such as the Xijiang Drinking Water Project, the Pearl River Delta Water Resource Allocation Project, and the Guangzhou Nanzhou Water Plant, with a daily water intake of nearly ten million tons, bearing the significant mission of ensuring water supply security for the Greater Bay Area. Advancing "zero discharge" governance of vessels is of great importance for safeguarding the ecological environment of the basin and ensuring regional water supply security.