Lianyungang Maritime Traffic Control was alerted by a report that cargo ship with AIS off called port in Lianyungang waters, Jiangsu province, China, Yellow sea, early in the morning Apr 3. The ship wasn’t cleared either for entrance, or for leave. Patrol boats were sent to intercept the so-called “ghost ship”. The ship, general cargo ship HENG SMOOTH, was intercepted and brought to Lianyungang anchorage for investigation.

It is becoming a rather regular incident in Chinese waters, but yet, no plausible explanation was given, as to why do foreign ships call Chinese ports in a covert way, without due procedures. One of latest incidents took place on Feb 19 this year in Yangtze estuary, when the authorities intercepted container ship HAI XING SHUN.