Sea ice causes disruption to ships on Bohai and Yellow Seas

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Thick sea ice this year is another weather woe China has to contend with. Due to the cold snap, sea ice has collected on the Bohai and Yellow Seas.

The State Oceanic Administration has released a yellow warning on Laizhou Bay and a blue warning on Liaodong Bay.

Besides, Bohai Bay and northern part of the Yellow sea are also among the ice-stricken areas. Local authorities have taken measures to prevent possible disasters to marine transport caused by sea ice. According to weather forecasts, the cold front will continue for days, and impose more challenges on local governments.

The latest data from State Oceanic Administration shows that half of Liaodong Bay is covered by sea ice, more than 15 thousand square kilometers. The floating ice is 69 sea miles from the shore. The thick ice has already caused problems to sea transport. According to local authorities, the ice is now more than 20 centimeters thick, which is enough to block the channel for vessels.

Thick sea ice this year is another weather woe China has to contend with. Due to the cold snap, sea ice has collected on the Bohai and Yellow Seas.

Zhang Zhongqi, Vice Director of Maritime Bureau of Jinzhou Municipality, said, "We are trying to break the ice by using high-powered tugboats to clear the shipping lanes. For the vessels, we adopt a combination of larger boats together ! with sma ller ones to ensure their safety. For the transport of national key resources such as thermal coal, we have established green paths."

The situation for Shangdong Peninsula is not encouraging. Data from State Oceanic Administration shows that two thirds of Laizhou Bay is covered by sea ice, more than six thousand square kilometers. The floating ice is 39 sea miles from shore, which has stranded many vessels with lighter weight limits. To ensure the smooth sailing of customs, staff from Laizhou Border Checkpoint are adopting a mobile work ethic. Everyday they go to anchored vessels on their ice-breaking boat to reduce the waiting time.

Beside sea transport, the vast ice has also taken a toll on the fishing industry and sea farming. It has forced farmers to step up ice breaking efforts to mitigate the damage.

Zhu Jianhai, farmer in Yantai, said, "Due to the extreme low temperature, ice this year is very thick and is not melting. We have to break the ice to circulate the sea water in order to ensure the growth of the fishing industry."

According to the weather forecasts, the cold front will continue over the days to come, and Laizhou Bay and northern part of the Yellow Sea could get the worst sea ice in a century. It's hoped that the authorities' warnings don't go unheeded and sailors and fishermen continue to work in safety.