The 3rd ASEAN Regional Forum Workshop on Ferry Safety is held on Nov 12 in Guangzhou. [Photo by Zhou Mingyao/chinanews.com]

The 3rd ASEAN Regional Forum Workshop on Ferry Safety, hosted by the Maritime Safety Administration (MSA) of the PRC and the Thai Marine Department, was held on Nov 12 in Guangzhou. 

A total of 102 representatives, including maritime and diplomatic officials from 18 countries and regions in Asian-Pacific region, as well as experts and scholars from organizations like the International Maritime Organization, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, and World Maritime University participated in the workshop.

The meeting was expected to bolster alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative with the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025. 

Experiences in the practice and management of ferry safety were covered in the discussion during the workshop, along with other issues such as establishing an expert working group for regional ferry safety.

Yang Xinzhai, deputy director of MSA, said that China has been devoting continuous efforts in ensuring ferry safety, forming a set of management experiences applying to the specific needs of developing countries.

China has organized this workshop with ASEAN countries three times and the country is willing to turn all the visions into reality step by step, added Yang.