As South China's first hub port equipped with LNG bunkering capabilities and the first terminal nationwide to realize simultaneous LNG bunkering for two vessels, YANTIAN has long placed a high priority on strengthening emergency response capacity for port LNG bunkering operations, fully implementing the national workplace safety principle of "safety first, prevention foremost, and comprehensive governance."

On the morning of November 28, the 2025 Emergency Drill for Vessel-to-Vessel LNG Bunkering Incidents at YANTIAN was successfully held.

The drill was hosted by the Shenzhen Maritime Search and Rescue Centre and co-organised by the Yantian District Maritime Search and Rescue Centre, assisted by the Yantian Maritime Safety Administration, Yantian District Emergency Management Bureau, Yantian Administration of the Municipal Transport Bureau, YANTIAN, and CNOOC (Shenzhen) International Ship Clean Energy Co., Ltd.. The drill aimed to further strengthen port LNG bunkering emergency response and continuously enhance real-world emergency rescue capabilities in extreme and complex scenarios.

As the first hub port in South China capable of providing LNG bunkering services to internationally trading vessels, YANTIAN has experienced rapid growth in its LNG bunkering business. Given LNG's highly volatile, flammable, and explosive nature, the operation places exceptionally high demands on port safety management. Centred on simulated scenarios—including a ruptured bunkering hose with LNG leakage, a crew member suffering frostbite and losing consciousness, and a man overboard during evacuation—the drill focused on key response procedures such as leak containment, casualty rescue and medical treatment, emergency unberthing, and man-overboard search and rescue, comprehensively testing the full emergency response chain.

More than 10 vessels and over 200 personnel participated in the drill, operating in close coordination. Upon the simulated incident, both the LNG bunkering vessel and the receiving vessel immediately activated emergency response procedures. The maritime search and rescue centres at the Municipal and Yantian District levels promptly initiated emergency responses, mobilizing and coordinating forces from maritime authorities, the coast guard, marine agencies, firefighting services, transportation departments, emergency management authorities, ecological and environmental agencies, and medical institutions to converge on the scene. Through measures such as traffic control, on-site security cordons, and Shenzhen–Hong Kong cross-boundary coordination, a robust safety perimeter was established, enabling the efficient completion of critical response tasks including leak control, casualty treatment, and vessel unberthing.

This drill marked the first dedicated drill in the Greater Bay Area addressing potential emergencies across the entire LNG bunkering process. It effectively validated the scientific soundness and operational practicality of the Special Emergency Response Plan for Vessel-to-Vessel LNG Bunkering Operations in Yantian District, tested the maritime emergency management systems at both the municipal and district levels as well as inter-agency coordination mechanisms, and further strengthened emergency response capabilities for LNG bunkering incidents, providing a solid safeguard for the continued safety and stability of Shenzhen's maritime traffic.

Source: Shenzhen Maritime Safety Administration