China's shipping charts green course

Swift passage

The Haikou Maritime Safety Administration, which manages the Qiongzhou Strait, a critical shipping channel linking the South China Sea to domestic markets, has introduced an electronic approval system allowing foreign vessels to pass without submitting physical paperwork.

Foreign ships can upload their application documents via the Strait Transit Management Information System, where they are routed to the appropriate approval channels.

Relying on this digital platform, maritime officials can provide uninterrupted, year-round service.

This "online submission, online approval" model has drastically shortened the approval period, from what once took several working days to just a matter of hours.

As a result, the turnaround time for vessels has significantly improved, reducing both time and operational costs for international shipping companies, and ensuring the efficient operation of the Qiongzhou Strait as a major transportation artery.

Once a foreign vessel's transit application is approved, Haikou Maritime activates a "one-stop" safety information notification mechanism. A letter addressed to the ship's captain consolidates key navigational data for the Qiongzhou Strait. This includes not only the mandatory traffic separation scheme and general maritime traffic regulations, but also detailed, practical information such as shallow areas and tidal patterns within the strait.

For vessels with deep drafts, Haikou Maritime provides additional services, including real-time depth monitoring data for critical shallow zones and tailored routing recommendations. These resources enable vessels to plan safe routes in advance based on their specific draft conditions.

With access to this precise information, ship operators can optimize voyage planning, assign crew shifts accordingly, and conduct checks on emergency equipment in advance.

This mechanism has proved highly effective, ensuring the safe passage of 22,600 foreign vessels through the Qiongzhou Strait over the past three years, while significantly mitigating the risks of grounding or stranding, according to the administration.