The Oceanic Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Transport has given its approval to the Pingtan Comprehensive Pilot Zone - the nation's first pilot zone opening up to Taiwan - to set up an independent port of registry and to administrate the fishing boats registered in the zone, the Pingtan's oceanic affairs office told the Pingtan Times on Oct 23.

A port of registry refers to the port in which a vessel is registered or permanently based, and vessels belonging to shipping companies registered in Pingtan will now be marked "Pingtan".

Jiang Changfeng, director of the Pingtan oceanic affairs office of the Fuzhou oceanic affairs bureau, said that this is encouraging news for Pingtan's shipping industry. Many of Pingtan's ships are registered in the province, and an independent port of registry in the pilot zone - with a series of attractive policies - will attract those ships back.

The international voyage registration procedures for Pingtan ships was previously administrated by the Fujian Provincial Oceanic Affairs Bureau, and the ships were allowed to fly a flag of convenience and enjoy exemption from registration tax. Their domestic voyages were registered with the Fuzhou oceanic affairs bureau.

The authorities have prepared a work plan for the establishment of the Pingtan port of registry and they will soon start implementing their plans.

Edited by Niva Whyman