The navy ship "Wuhan" (Right) escorts Chinese ships through Somali waters on January 12, 2009.

Mission commander, Rear Admiral Du Jingchen, said: "Ensuring a safe and secure commercial shipping channel has been the common wish of compatriots across the Taiwan Straits."

Taiwan has two of the world's leading container shipping companies, the Evergreen Marine and Yang Ming Marine, which have about 300 vessels, half of which are registered abroad.

The navy ships set sail from Sanya, Hainan province, on December 26, 2008, reached the Somali waters on Jan 6, and divided the waters into seven zones, each spanning 550 nautical miles.

It has received requests to escort 49 ships, and guided four vessels, including one from Hong Kong, on Jan 6. That means, it will escort 41 more vessels past the horn of Africa by Jan 19.