【Navigation】Do you know the safe passages through the Bohai Strait in China?

The Bohai Strait in China is the only entrance and exit for vessels to the Bohai Sea.

In recent years, there have been frequent reports of ships being fined by the authorities for crossing the areas with restricted navigation in the Bohai Strait.

The Bohai Strait is divides the strait into a dozen waterways and most breaches are in the Beituoji Waterway.

Penalties for non-compliance

• The owner, operator or manager of the vessel in violation of the law shall be fined not less than CNY 20,000 (USD 3,000) but not more than CNY 200,000 Yuan (USD 30,000),
• The Master and any liable crew members shall be subject to a fine of not less than CNY 2,000 (USD 300) per person but not more than CNY 20,000 (USD 3,000) and suspension of their certificates of competency (COC) for three to twelve months, and
• In more serious instances, the Master and any liable crew shall be subject to revocationof their certificates of competency.

Additionally, there is risk of navigation incidents for contact with fishing nets and grounding while transit of Beituoji Waterway.

Preventive actions to be taken ;

• Familiarize with the safe passages through the Bohai Strait which are the Laotieshan Channel and the Changshan Waterway.
• Collect all relevant information from updated nautical publications (nautical charts, Sailing direction, Notice to Mariners) and ships’ agents & China MSA.
• Use of updated ENC charts and obtain the latest local navigational warnings.
• Plan for potential congestion of strait and consider using the other channel as an alternative route if one channel is temporarily not available for transit.

Please refer the following website.

https://www.gard.no/web/articles?documentId=33907977