From October 28th to October 31st, the 2nd ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Training on Ferry Safety Capacity Building was successfully held in Guangzhou, China. This training was jointly organized by the Maritime Safety Administration of the People's Republic of China and the Marine Department of Thailand, with support from the Guangdong Maritime Safety Administration and the Guangxi Maritime Safety Administration.

Over 40 participants from 14 countries, including China, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, participated in the training. The participants and expert instructors shared extensive practical experience and provided valuable insights and suggestions on topics such as the introduction of standard ferry vessel types, ferry crew training, the current development of battery-powered vessels and inspection key points, the application of information technology, and ferry safety supervision experiences. This enhanced the participants' understanding of ferry safety knowledge and skills. Deputy Director of the Guangdong Maritime Safety Administration, Hong Sixiong, and Director of the Marine Safety and Environment Office of the Marine Department of Thailand, Pitak Wattanapongpisal, jointly awarded training certificates to the participants.

In recent years, China and the members of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) have actively promoted international and regional cooperation on ferry safety, organizing multiple capacity-building training sessions to enhance ferry safety mechanisms and elevate the level of ferry safety management. It is hoped that this training will further strengthen the bridge of cooperation in ferry safety, enhance the resilience of regional economic development, and advance the realization of global co-governance in ferry safety.

The ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), established in 1994, currently has 27 members. It is the largest and most influential official multilateral political and security dialogue and cooperation platform in the Asia-Pacific region, with significant regional and international impact.This training is supported by the Asia Cooperation Fund and is a key technical cooperation project for China to enhance connectivity in the transportation sector with Asian countries, particularly those in the ASEAN region. The objective is to share and exchange best practices and governance experiences related to ferry safety (non-convention passenger ship safety), including legislation, technical standards, and implementation mechanisms, with participating countries. It aims to provide a more solid foundation for regional ferry safety and contribute further experience and expertise to global ferry safety governance.