The maritime shipping sector handles over 95% of China's international trade, with seafarers serving as its backbone. Recent data from the Maritime Safety Administration of China shows the country's seafarer workforce has been expanding consistently. By the end of last year, the number of registered seafarers in China reached 2.08 million, maintaining its position as the world's largest, with a year-on-year growth of 2.6%. Over the year, 185,000 seafarers were dispatched on international assignments, an increase of 11.5%, marking the highest dispatch volume in recent years. June 25th this year marks the sixteenth annual Day of the Seafarer. We take a closer look at three seafarers, each working in different waters and roles, who are participating in and witnessing the vigorous growth of China's maritime industry.
Captain Cheng Yanhai of the COSCO Shipping Peony – Sailing approximately 950,000 nautical miles over 17 years, witnessing "Made in China" reach the world.
On the shores of the East China Sea, a gentle sea breeze blows. As dawn breaks through the morning mist, the silhouette of the COSCO Shipping Peony gradually comes into view. "Prepare for docking!" In the ship's bridge, Captain Cheng Yanhai gives the order, and the vessel begins adjusting its speed and course. Accompanied by the deep, steady hum of the main engine, this large container ship, having traversed the vast Pacific Ocean on a 15-day non-stop voyage, slowly berths at the world's largest port, Ningbo-Zhoushan Port. Benefiting from the "Container Shipping Punctuality and Cost Reduction" initiative launched by the Zhejiang maritime authorities, Captain Cheng obtained the complete berthing plan in advance via the Maritime App, allowing him to control the economic speed and avoid unnecessary waiting. Relying on the port's mature intelligent operation system, 1,426 import containers from North America were efficiently unloaded and quickly distributed to various cities via the well-developed road network.
Simultaneously, a batch of "Made in Yiwu" products arrived at the port for loading, seamlessly connected via sea-rail intermodal transport. Approximately 37 hours later, with a blast of the ship's horn, the COSCO Shipping Peony cast off and set sail once more. Captain Cheng recorded the departure time in the ship's log, maneuvered the vessel out of the main channel, and set course to deliver 2,795 containers of cargo across the ocean. This back-and-forth rhythm, day after day, carrying diverse goods across the vast seas, is the daily routine of 52-year-old "Old Captain" Cheng. The thick logbook shows increasingly dense tracks forming a network – over 17 years of sailing, he has called at over a hundred ports, left his mark in more than 40 countries and regions, transported nearly 4.6 million tons of cargo, and sailed approximately 950,000 nautical miles.
With the ship as his home, traversing the seas, Captain Cheng has personally experienced and witnessed the leapfrog development of China's shipping industry. Vessels have become greener. From ultra-large container ships to LNG carriers and pure electric vessels, China's pace of green and intelligent transformation in shipbuilding continues to accelerate, with the scale of various new energy and clean energy vessels operating at sea and on inland rivers ranking among the world's leaders. In February this year, the COSCO Shipping Peony under his command successfully completed its methanol dual-fuel power conversion. Cargo has become more diverse. Aboard Captain Cheng's ship, cargo is no longer just traditional bulk commodities; the proportion of high-value-added goods, represented by the "new three" categories (referring to new energy vehicles, lithium-ion batteries, and photovoltaic products), continues to rise, accelerating the upgrade of the cargo product mix. Ports have become more efficient. The winds of intelligence have blown towards port terminals, repeatedly lifting loading and unloading efficiency. Smarter Chinese ports are enabling "Made in China" to reach the globe smoothly, becoming a powerful support for stabilizing industrial and supply chains.
Chen Baiquan, Marine Pilot at Quanzhou Port, Fujian – Navigating through thick fog and battling giant waves, safely piloting over a thousand domestic and international vessels in and out of port.
"Quanzhou Maritime Traffic Control, Pilot No. 23 has boarded the 'Oriental Qingchun', reporting to you!" At Quanzhou Port in Fujian, a call cuts through the sea breeze on the VHF radio. Following the entry instruction from the Quanzhou Maritime Safety Administration, the vessel begins the "final kilometer" into the harbor. Who is "Pilot No. 23"? This is the call sign for marine pilot Chen Baiquan. As the port's exclusive "maritime chauffeur," pilots are responsible for guiding vessels in and out of ports and during berthing/unberthing operations, often called the "first image of the nation on water."
On July 20th last year, shortly after a typhoon warning was lifted, the sea surface still had huge swells of 3 to 4 meters. Receiving the docking order, Chen Baiquan took a pilot boat to meet the foreign container ship Oriental Qingchun. At that time, evening was approaching. A pilot ladder over 7 meters high hung down the side of the 210-meter-long giant ship. The wind and waves caused the hull to pitch and roll, making it difficult for the pilot boat to maintain position alongside. The gap between the two vessels could suddenly shrink and crush at any moment. Fixing his eyes on the rhythm of the swells, Chen seized the moment as the pilot boat rose, grabbed the wet, slippery ladder with both hands, and climbed swiftly. After several attempts, he finally boarded the ship and began the pilotage operation. This was Chen Baiquan's 1,430th safe pilotage. He is now in his thirteenth year of independent piloting.
"A ship's captain may be proficient in ocean navigation routes, but not necessarily familiar with the waters near a port. Narrow channels, tidal currents, and operational restrictions at docks can all be obstacles. We, who are rooted in the local port year-round, serve as a safeguard for the safe departure and berthing of these giants," Chen said. While pilotage operations are now recorded electronically with all operational data stored online in real-time, he still insists on reviewing key operational parameters such as tides, wind direction, ship type, and operational adjustments after each job, meticulously analyzing the piloting process. The compulsory pilotage system not only provides navigational safety but is also an important manifestation of national pilotage sovereignty. Many countries worldwide require foreign vessels entering and leaving their ports to undergo compulsory pilotage, explicitly stipulating that the pilot must be a citizen of that country. This has created a special contingent of seafarers.
Looking along China's vast coastline, over 2,400 pilots, 47 pilotage organizations, 35 pilot stations, and more than 160 specialized pilot boats weave a modern pilotage network. This network covers over 2,500 coastal berths of 10,000 tons and above, assisting approximately 400,000 vessel movements in and out of seaports annually. "From single-person, single-boat operations to the comprehensive support of modern pilot stations and professional pilot boats, China's pilotage industry has completed the leap from initial exploration to standardization, specialization, and intelligence in recent years," said a relevant official from the China Pilotage Association. The next step involves continuously improving the pilot management system to better facilitate the movement of foreign trade vessels across rivers and seas, smoothing the links of global trade.
Zuo Shanshan, Crew Member on the Adora Magic City – Over a decade in the cruise industry, serving more than 150,000 passengers.
A single voyage, three days and two nights at sea, serving over 4,000 guests... This is the service record delivered by seafarer Zuo Shanshan and her team. On June 6th, at the T2 terminal building of Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal, thousands of passengers boarded the domestically built large cruise ship Adora Magic City, embarking on the nation's first "nowhere cruise" voyage. Unlike the traditional cruise model of "must depart the country, must call at a port," under the "nowhere cruise" model, the ship departs from a domestic home port, cruises entirely in international waters without calling at any ports, and finally returns to the original port. This new sailing model presents new challenges for onboard service and safety.
With the cruise ship transforming from a means of transport into the destination itself, where passengers' dining, leisure, and entertainment activities are concentrated onboard, crowd management and safety control become priorities. "Comedy shows, magic, and themed parties keep passengers captivated, while public areas like restaurants, theaters, and decks maintain high passenger traffic throughout the day," said Zuo, who works as a Guest Relations Manager. On one hand, she provides detailed route explanations specifically for elderly guests and families with children. On the other hand, during peak hours like meal times and after shows, she strengthens on-site guidance to ensure any issues can be addressed promptly. "The experience exceeded expectations," "truly unforgettable"... Despite the intense work pace, order was maintained throughout the ship. Upon disembarkation, many passengers praised the service provided by Zuo and her colleagues.
"Unlike cargo ship seafarers, our job is to serve passengers at sea, allowing more ordinary people to enjoy cruise life," Zuo said. Since first entering the cruise industry in 2012, starting as a pastry chef in the kitchen, she has worked her way up through roles as a restaurant supervisor and front desk customer service, eventually growing into the role of Guest Relations Manager, having served over 150,000 passengers cumulatively. Over these more than ten years, China's cruise economy has experienced rapid development. The market scale has steadily expanded. After over a decade of development, China has become the world's second-largest cruise market. In 2025, cruise passenger transport volume reached 1.301 million, a year-on-year increase of 25.7%. Shanghai Port, where Zuo is often based, received 230 international cruise ship calls last year, hosting over 1.75 million passengers.
The domestic industry has grown rapidly. From the official maiden voyage of the first domestically built large cruise ship, the Adora Magic City, to the planned maiden voyage of the second domestically built large cruise ship, the Adora Huacheng, scheduled for November this year, domestically produced cruise ships are becoming a shining "floating maritime name card." Since its launch, the Adora Magic City served by Zuo Shanshan has smoothly operated over 200 voyages, cumulatively serving more than one million guests, with its service capacity and industry influence continuously rising. "Currently, China's cruise economy has entered a new phase of strong recovery-driven development. Leveraging policy dividends, route innovation, and the upgrading of domestic services, a cruise cultural tourism industry system with Chinese characteristics is being accelerated," said a relevant official from the Maritime Safety Administration. International seafarers and cruise ship crew, as key forces in cruise service, will use their professional dedication and quality service to polish the reputation of Chinese cruise services, helping the cruise economy continuously improve in quality and efficiency.
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