Date: 25 Oct 2022

Oasis Circular No.: 2209

SUBJECT: CHINA MSA ISSUED NOTICE OF CORRECTION TO CHART IN RESPECT OF  UNIDENTIFIED UNDERWATER OBJECTS OFF FUZHOU PORT AND NINGDE PORT.

On 10 Oct 2022, the China MSA issued the No. 41 Notice of Correction to Channel Charts of China Coastal Ports, in which they requested ships to remark the warning statement “Unidentified underwater objects were found in northeastern waters of Heiyan Island, Sansha'ao, Lianjiang, Taiwan Strait, within a radius of one nautical mile in the enter of the circle: 26°23′39″, 120°05′42″E” on the 3 relevant nautical charts, including: No. 62001〔2022-970〕, No. 62151〔2022-202〕and No. 2310〔2022-904〕. The source of the Correction is the No. 32/22 Navigation Warning issued by Fujian MSA on 10 Sep 2022. 

We prepared the following the illustration:

Waters shall be kept away

Before the above Navigation Warning No. 32/22 was issued, 3 major grounding accidents occurred in the same area during the years from 2020 to 2022 which caused very serious damage to ships’ hull and necessitated very complex salvage operation, one of these incidents also caused water ingress into the cargo hold. The draught of those ships at the time of the groundings varied from about 7 metres to 15 metres, 2 ships were laden whilst the third one was in ballast. The position of these 3 grounding incidents is:

1. 26°23.7′N, 120°5.7′E

2. 26°23.8′ N, 120°5.7′E

3. 26°23.76′ N, 120°5.58′E

Positions of 3 grounding incidents from 2020 to 2022

The identity of those underwater objects are currently unknown and they are not shown in the present public nautical chart.

We attach our free translation of the relevant part of the No. 41 Notice of Correction to Channel Chart of China's Coastal Ports issued by China MSA and the No. 32/22 Navigation Warning issued by Fujian MSA for your easy reference.

Suggestion:

Ships which plan to call Fuzhou Port (including Luoyuan Port, Kemen Port, Huadong Shipyard and Ningde Port (including Zhangwan Terminal, Datang Powplant Terminal, Dingxin Terminal, etc) shall add the above warning statement in the nautical chart before the voyage commences and then keep away from those waters when the ship enters or departs from the aforesaid terminals/shipyard.

Terminals/shipyard of Fuzhou Port and Ningde Port

We hope the above is of assistance. If there is any query, please feel free to contact us at oasis@oasispandi.com at any time. 

Best regards, 

Oasis P&I Services Company Limited

Annex:

Annex I: Relevant part of No. 41 Notice of Correction issued by China MSA and our free translation

Annex II: No. 32/22 Navigation Warning issued by Fujian MSA and our free translation

Annex I

Free translation

China Maritime Safety Administration

Channel Chart of China's Coastal Ports

Notice of correction

(No.41, total 1096s)

Date: 10 Oct 2022

1001. East China Sea, Luoyuan Bay and nearby, the northeast of Heiyan Island - add warning statement

Add a drawing and remark: “Unidentified underwater objects were found in northeastern waters of Heiyan Island, Sansha'ao, Lianjiang, Taiwan Strait, within a circle with radius of one nautical mile and centred at : 26 ° 23 ′ 39 ″ N, 120 ° 05 ′ 42 ″ E.”

All ships shall keep away.

26°23′39″N, 120°05′42″E

Chart Nos.: 62001 [2022-970], 62151 [2022-202] and 2310 [2022-904]

Source: MHJ (2022) No. 0032

Annex II

Free translation

Fujian Maritime Safety Administration

Navigation Warning of Unidentified Obstacle to Navigation

(20220032)

Date of Issue: 0940 hrs of 10 Sep 2022

Fujian Navigation Warning 32/22: Unidentified underwater objects were found in the northeastern waters of Heiyan Island, Sansha'ao, Lianjiang, Taiwan Strait, within a circle with a radius of one nautical mile and centred at 26 ° 23 ′ 39 ″ N, 120 ° 05 ′ 42 ″E. All ships shall keep away from the waters.