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Hannibal is guided to berth at Dushan port in Jiaxing. [Photo/Zhejiang Maritime Safety Administration]

A marine pilot from Jiaxing Port in East China's Zhejiang province boarded the Singapore-registered vessel Hannibal at Jinshan No 1 boarding area on the Shanghai side of Hangzhou Bay on Sept 25, guiding the vessel to berth at Dushan port area in Pinghu, a county-level city in Jiaxing, nearly two hours later. 

The event marks the first time that Jiaxing pilots have boarded ships in Shanghai waters and steered them into the Jiaxing port area, eliminating the need for detours.

By international convention, foreign vessels must accept compulsory pilotage when entering another country's waters or ports. Previously, ships bound for Dushan port area had to detour more than 10 nautical miles to the Chenshan Mountain pilot boarding area before returning, adding hours to the voyage and significantly raising operating costs. Industry representatives noted the added miles each trip meant over 10 million yuan ($1.4 million) in annual expenses and increased navigation pressure on crews.

To resolve this long-standing challenge, maritime authorities in Zhejiang and Shanghai introduced a pilotage-sharing mechanism between Jiaxing and Jinshan. The agreement allows Jiaxing pilots to board at Jinshan No 1 area, with pilot boats staffed under unified standards.

The new system is expected to cut annual operating costs for Jiaxing shipping enterprises by more than 10 million yuan and reduce waiting times at terminals by over 1,600 hours.