Chinese,US warships in near collission.

[j.sabourn]

A column in today’s paper describing a Chinese destroyer coming aggressively close to a US naval ship conjures up all sorts of warlike intentions to the non seafarer and for s### stirring carries the usual biscuit.
It says the Chinese warship which they don’t even name approached the USS Decatur in an unsafe and and unprofessional manner.
If I was the commander of that Chinese warship with orders to keep unauthorised vessels out of their military area , and the ship refused to comply, I would have approached the interloper at right angles from his starboard bow as a crossing vessel thus causing him to obey the Rule of the road and alter course.
This is of course assuming that the master of the US warship knew the Rule of the Road, or maybe he thought he had right of way regardless.
As for the media reporter I doubt he wouldn’t have a clue what I am talking about.
All this of course taking place in the disputed area of the South China Sea.
They say both ships came to within 41 metres of each other , however no indication of what angle they were at.
I think it was a case of who blinks first, although that will never be admitted to.
It is by such statements put out by the media that false impressions abound in the world of today.
I think the Chinese vessel was probably very cunning by not just putting a shot across the bow of the US ship to warn them they were entering a prohibited area. However the real facts Will never reach the wrong ears. Sorry the Chinese vessel is identified as the Luoyang , a Chinese missile destroyer. Our old departed shipmate from NZ who spent the war years a POW in Loyang would have picked up on the name straight away as that was the way he spelt it. JWS

[j.sabourn]

Going into the realms of what looks like is going to be the next controversy of which country has the maritime rights to certain waterways and islands , I think everyone of the interested parties should have persons who know all the legalities, which we as Joe public do not know. Every country in the world can and does put exclusion zones around parts of what they consider their property , and you have to go no further than the North Sea to see this in action. Every rig and offshore structure has an exclusion zone around it usually up to 3 miles. This would have affected the fishing industry no end in the early years , not so much today where there is practically no British Industry as such. The question should first be asked by whose authority this restriction to maritime freedom of movement is imposed. The Chinese may take this as similar to what they are doing. JWS..

[happy daze john in oz]

John, yes there are exclusion zones around rig, islands countries.
However there is in my mind a problem as with many there will be a difference of opinion as to what is the right of any rig, island or country.

I have heard three miles and twelve miles offered by different persons.
Is there an official international recognition of what it should be, three or twelve.?

Or is it s case of getting away with what they can?

Most cruise ships and ARN ships when in port or at anchor will have a sign saying keep at least 50 meters away.

[robpage]

I haven't been out in the solent for a long time and putting signs out on things requesting the distance to be kept clear is fine except there an awful lot of voters out there especially in the solent that either couldn't see signs or definitely couldn't read and I think that is probably the case for the average American warship commander

[j.sabourn]

#3... If you asked the average offshore worker a few years ago why there was a 3 mile exclusion zone around a rig , he would probably have said it was to keep vessels outside of his anchor pattern. On every anchor was a large unlit steel buoy quite capable of severely damaging or even sinking a small vessel which had the misfortune to collide with. Today however these buoys are rarely used so that excuse cannot be used. That area around the rig or platform is considered the area of influence of the underwater operations of the installation and will have pipes or directional drilling on the bottom and doesn’t want ships dropping their anchors there among other things. Every ship coming inside the exclusion zone has to get permission to do so by the OIM. They are more than likely legally entitled to do this as that block will have been bought and paid for on a lease arrangement by the oil or gas company, the government of the country to which it belongs being the rent collector. Probably why the Scottish National Party think they are so well off, but it is a dying trade today and the cream has almost dried up. JWS.

[robpage]

Ssssh don't let Nicola Sturgeon AKA Jeanie Crankie know , she might not believe the tank is dry , Imagine running out of petrol with her in the car when younger , you would take action , and push the car home

[Bill Morrison]

Slightly of course but still on water. Who or what country has the rights to water around it or running through it.
I watched a programme about the river Nile some time back.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-43170408

[j.sabourn]

Any country big enough and strong enough to back up those claims. I would say Bill without reading the www. Has anyone ever gone into how they have divided up the the Arctic and Antarctic . I haven’t , thought someone might know. The next argument and differences of opinion will spread to the moon soon, and then the planets, unless man has talked his way out of existence by then. JWS

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi John.
One thing about the South China seas controversy is that the Australian Govt? wants the seas kept open as most of their imports-exports go through there, Australia no longer has a merchant fleet and most of the ships going through there are Chinese or Asian carrying our imports and exports so where's the rub. So far the only ships that are complaining are American warships and the only thing they are carrying is death and stupidity.
Cheers Des

[happy daze john in oz]

All very true Des, but as we all know the USA wants as much control over the South china Seas as possible, legal or otherwise.

It is a major sea region and as we know fromvWW2 it is an important part of the globe.