For hundreds of years, vessels large and small have sailed along the current on either side of the Yangtze River when going downstream but looking for the path of least resistance when going upstream.

Since June 2003, however, vessels traversing the Jiangsu Province section of the river have learned to deal with new traffic rules that go against many old habits. Following international norms, all vessels have to navigate on the right, just as vehicles do on roads in many countries.

Two lanes of traffic were set up in each direction, upstream and downstream, one along the bank for small vessels and the other along the main stream for large vessels.

The new routing system went into effect on a trial basis along a section of the river in Jiangsu last June. The number of ship accidents plummeted in the year following its implementation, the first of its kind in the country.

The new regulations will also be adopted for the Pearl River in south China, said Chen Wei, of the Jiangsu Maritime Safety Administration (JMSA). The administration and its branches are responsible for the enforcement of the regulations.

By June 2004, the JMSA recorded 61 ordinary accidents on the Yangtze River, a drop of 33 percent from the previous year. Twenty-nine of them were collisions, a 40 percent reduction.

Altogether 64 people died or disappeared and 54 ships sank in the accidents, down 17 percent and 16 percent, respectively. Economic losses resulting from the accidents totaled 37.7 million yuan (US$4.5 million), a cut of 18.7 percent.

"It is the first time we have had an accident rate lower than one per 10,000," Zhang said.

Operators of smaller craft have said that having their own routes improves safety. Crews from large ships were equally positive, saying the designated lanes allow them to sail at higher speeds.

Zhang also said the regulations contributed to efficiency of ports and shipping companies.

During the year of the ship lane trial, ports along the Jiangsu section of the Yangtze River handled up to 310 million tons of cargo, an increase of 20 percent from the previous year.

(China Daily July 22, 2004)