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China authorities update collision hotspot warnings

China’s Maritime Safety Authority (MSA) has issued an updated list of accident black spots along its coast where fishing and deepsea vessels often dangerously cross paths.

Nick Savvides, Europe correspondent

October 13, 2023

1 Min Read
Fishing vessel at sea
Photo: Unsplash

Oasis P&I club has posted the updated list on its website with descriptions of warnings and particular dangers in each of the areas of concern.

Another insurer, Gard has said that every year it handles claims for collisions between fishing vessels and merchant ships and the company warns merchant vessels and fishing boats to take extra care in areas where the two mix.

“Considering the difference in size and momentum between merchant vessels and fishing boats, such incidents can result in not only severe damage to the fishing boats but also loss of life. According to China MSA, during the period 2019 to 2021, collisions between merchant and fishing vessels have resulted in 248 fishermen losing their lives,” said a Gard notice.

The Norway headquartered Gard notes that fishing vessels, particularly at night, are at risk with communication equipment that may not work, or with fishing nets that cannot be seen from a larger vessel.

On some occasions there have been collisions where the merchant ship has not even realised that an accident has occurred.

The full list of black spots can be found here.

About the Author

Nick Savvides

Europe correspondent

Experienced journalist working online, in monthly magazines and daily news coverage. Nick Savvides began his journalistic career working as a freelance from his flat in central London, and has since worked in Athens, while also writing for some major publications including The Observer, The European, Daily Express and Thomson Reuters. 

Most recently Nick joined The Loadstar as the publication’s news editor to develop the profile of the publication, increase its readership and to build a team that will market, sell and report on supply chain issues and container shipping news. 

This was a similar brief to his time at ci-online, the online publication for Containerisation International and Container News. During his time at ci-online Nich developed a team of freelancers and full-time employees increasing its readership substantially. He then moved to International Freighting Weekly, a sister publication, IFW also focused on container shipping, rail and trucking and ports. Both publications were published by Informa. 

Following his spell at Informa Nick joined Reed’s chemical reporting team, ICIS, as the chemical tanker reporter. While at ICIS he also reported on the chemical industry and spent some time on the oil & gas desk. 

Nick has also worked for a time at Lloyd’s Register, which has an energy division, and his role was writing their technical magazine, before again becoming a journalist at The Naval Architect for the Royal Institution of Naval Architects. After eight successful years at RINA, he joined Fairplay, which published a fortnightly magazine and daily news on the website.

Nick's time at Fairplay saw him win the Seahorse Club Journalist of the Year and Feature Writer of the Year 2018 awards.

After Fairplay closed, Nick joined an online US start-up called FreightWaves. 

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