Four out of five lighthouses planned for use in the South China Sea have been activated and the fifth lighthouse will be completed and put into use soon, it was announced on July 10.
China started to build lighthouses in the South China Sea in May last year, with four now in use on Huayang, Chigua, Zhubi and Yongshu reefs. The most recent project went into operation on Yongshu Reef on June 25.
"The five lighthouses are important public service facilities in the South China Sea. Construction and operation of the lighthouses reflects China's dedication to its responsibility of boosting navigational safety in the South China Sea, a critical maritime and trade corridor linking the Pacific and Indian oceans," Mr. Xu Ruqing, head of China's Maritime Safety Administration, said at a press conference of the China Maritime Forum in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province.
Xu Ruqing introduced that all five lighthouses are 50 to 55 meters tall and are equipped with the Automatic Identification System and VHF (very high frequency) radio, allowing vessels to receive navigation information and warnings from the lighthouses.
According to Xu Ruqing, the lighthouses will serve multiple purposes, including navigation support, maritime search and rescue, fishing, marine disaster prevention and mitigation and lower the risk of oil spills.