On the morning of April 9th, escorted by the Zhanjiang Maritime Safety Administration, the vessel "Kaiyuan," carrying 270,000 tonnes of crude oil from Saudi Arabia, safely docked at the Zhongke Refining and Chemical terminal on Donghai Island in Zhanjiang, Guangdong. This shipment will ensure stable production for the refining enterprise and provide strong support for regional energy security.
The "Kaiyuan" vessel, which safely berthed at the terminal, is 330 meters long and 60 meters wide, with a gross tonnage of 157,039 and a deadweight tonnage of 297,101. The ship departed from the Middle East and arrived in Zhanjiang after approximately 20 days of sailing. The plan is to discharge about 135,000 tonnes of crude oil at the Zhongke Refining and Chemical terminal, with the remaining oil to be unloaded at the Zhanjiang Petrochemical terminal.
As a large-scale refining and chemical integration project, Zhongke Refining and Chemical relies primarily on imported crude oil, with about 90% sourced from the Middle East. Under normal circumstances, the Donghai Island plant imports approximately 750,000 tonnes of crude oil per month from the Middle East. From February 28th until the arrival of this shipment, the plant had imported a cumulative total of about 400,000 tonnes of Middle Eastern crude. The timely arrival of this crude oil shipment will alleviate raw material supply pressures for the enterprise and ensure stable production operations.
To ensure the efficient and safe transport of key energy supplies, the Zhanjiang Maritime Safety Administration made advance arrangements, establishing a comprehensive regulatory service system. A green channel for energy material transport was opened for the "Kaiyuan," providing 24/7 maritime administrative services and efficiently processing ship entry and exit formalities. The Vessel Traffic Service Center utilized smart monitoring tools such as CCTV, AIS, and VHF for remote command and scheduling, reasonably adjusting the entry and exit plans of other vessels to ensure the safe and smooth passage of the very large crude carrier.
During the ship's entry into the port, the Donghai Island Maritime Station dispatched the patrol vessel "Haixun 09058" to provide an on-site escort. Law enforcement officers conducted aerial surveillance using drones to monitor real-time navigation conditions in the harbor basin and channels. Simultaneous shore patrols were conducted to inspect the terminal's berthing facilities for potential safety hazards, and safety reminders were distributed to the crew to reinforce collision risk prevention between commercial and fishing vessels, thereby strengthening maritime traffic safety.
The Zhanjiang Navigation Aids Office utilized drones and remote monitoring systems to inspect the navigation aids along the route, in the harbor basin, and the surrounding navigational environment, ensuring the proper functioning of aids and unobstructed waterways.
A representative from the Zhanjiang Maritime Safety Administration stated that they will continue to optimize the support mechanisms for key energy material transport, enhance emergency readiness and smart monitoring capabilities, improve customs clearance efficiency, and fully safeguard the security and smooth operation of maritime energy transport routes to support high-quality local economic development.
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