China to co-operate on safety in region
CHINA is stepping up efforts to ensure safer shipping conditions in the Asia-Pacific by increasing co-operation with surrounding nations on vessel inspections and port control.
Zheng Guangdi, Vice-Minister of Communications, told the first meeting of Asia-Pacific Port State Control Committee that teamwork was critical to achieve success.
About 100 maritime officials from 16 Asia-Pacific countries met in Beijing this week for talks on port control data exchange systems and maritime surveyor training.
In December these nations, along with representatives of Vietnam and Fiji, who were absent this time, signed the Tokyo Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control - a regional treaty to safeguard marine safety and prevent sea pollution in the region.
The deal unified inspection standards. If a ship clears inspection after docking in a Chinese port, it will be granted entry to the other 17 nations' ports without repeating the procedures.
States are obligated under the treaty to check any foreign ship, on-board equipment and seamen, entering their ports, to ensure they meet international criteria and domestic laws.
In 1990, China launched its own port state control in 12 main ports.
About 10 per cent of the foreign ships examined violated international conventions, such as having obsolete fire-fighting equipment.
Depending on the severity of the problem, some ships may be allowed to leave the port without making repairs, but will have to remedy the violations within a time limit before docking again in China.
