Officials said the measures will help reduce the number of shipping accidents while shepherding ships more effectively to enhance the capacity of local ports.

Officials will set up "parking lots" 100 kilometers off Shanghai, where ships will wait for direction on how to proceed into the city's ports.

Traffic lights will tell ships when to stop or go, and will help direct ships to one of 10 major routes they should follow into the city, says Chang Fuzhi, of the city's maritime safety administration.

"We started to map out the plan this year, and the paper work is nearly complete," Chang told Shanghai Daily yesterday.

Chang said the new safety system was expected to go into effect next year, but it may be launched earlier if work continues smoothly. The administration has spent more than 40 million yuan (US$4.82 million) on the project, which they are confident will dramatically decrease accidents in the prosperous area.

Shanghai was the busiest port in China last year, handling 200 million tons of trade.

But China's busiest route has also been one of its most dangerous over the last five years, officials said.

Between 1997 and June of this year, 41 accidents have occurred in the area, sinking six ships and leaving 22 people dead. The accidents have resulted in direct economic loss of more than 94 million yuan, officials said.

They did not say if those numbers included a ship collision on April 17, which saw a Korean freighter hit a Hong Kong vessel causing the world's largest styrenes leak. That collision is still under investigation.

The new safety regulations will not only aid cargo ships, but also help the many smaller vessels in the area, said Chang, noting that Zhoushan, a popular fishing spot, is near the city.

Chang pointed to an August 26 collision between a fishing boat and a cargo ship as proof of the urgency for new safety measures.

The fishing boat sank, throwing its 15 crewmen into the water. Four of them were later confirmed dead.

"The fishing boat was just like a bicyclist, who is suddenly thrust out-side and hit by a truck," said Chang.

(eastday.com 09/06/2001)