A Chinese Survey Vessel Spent 53 Hours Over the SEA-H2X and EAC-C2C Cables

Fifty-Three Hours Inside a Twenty-Nine Mile Box From October 30 to November 1, a Chinese research and survey vessel spent approximately 53 hours inside a 29 nautical mile box over the SEA-H2X and EAC-C2C cable routes in the northern South China Sea.

It covered about 226 nautical miles at a median of 5 knots, with 39 course changes over 45 degrees and 12 short stops. That is a back-and-forth line pattern with station-keeping. It is not a vessel drifting, holding position, or waiting.

Partway through, the vessel went dark for about four hours on October 31 and resumed transmitting 13 nautical miles north of where it stopped.

EO imagery caught it on station on November 1 at 03:02 UTC, directly above the SEA-H2X route.

This story was originally published by Hellenic Shipping News. Read the full story at Hellenic Shipping News →