Recently, thick sea ice has attacked Bohai Sea and North of Yellow Sea in China. As to the limitation of icebreaking capabilities, some fishery production activities were forced to stop, affecting the port productivities.

It is understood that, besides the “Xuelong” and another scientific expedition vessel, there is hardly any civilian icebreaking ship. As a result, when comes the sea ice, the only thing ports and fishermen can do is waiting. This affects the income of fishermen and ports efficiency. Besides, accidents often occur under this situation. What is worse, coming across with the severe ice conditions, some shipping routes such as “Coal Transportation from North to South” will be exposed to danger.

Hongyong Zhang, the Community Director of Guangli Port, Dongying City, said that:”the fishing boats have no icebreaking capability, once stuck in the ice during returning trip, there would be no rescuer without an icebreaking vessel, and the fishermen themselves do not have many provisions. Besides, the floating ice might collide the boats and break the hulls.”

Lacking of icebreaking capability also affects the ports efficiency. Xianjun Ma, the Senior Manager of Sime Darby Port Company in Wei Fang City, introduced that:”At this moment, tugs are the main icebreaking vessels for ports. However, tugs are not the specified icebreaking ship, the capability is very limited. When the ice situation is severe, we have to lock the port. Normally there are about daily 20 boats using the port, but now only 10 can travel through. 1000 tons boats are not permitted into the port, waiting outside in the anchorage ground.”

Experts think that, China should establish icebreaking system that has different tonnage icebreakers. Enhancing the icebreaking capability can help protect fishery production activities and ports transportation during the sea ice period.

Source from CNSS