China's maritime affairs authorities began a five-day cruise to examine the navigational safety in the sea areas off the eastern Zhejiang Province on Monday.

More than 1,000 staff, together with 60 patrol boats and one helicopter, participated the operation in the East China Sea, said He Yipei, director of the Zhejiang provincial maritime affairs.

The open-sea area off the coast of Zhejiang is an important part of China's south-north nautical route, however, it also witnesses frequent shipwrecks due to the complicated navigational conditions, said He.

To ensure the navigational safety in this area, He's department has increased patrol boat cruises over the past years.

According to the official, China's most advanced and largest patrol boat "Haixun 31" also joined in the cruise this time.

The 3,000-tonnage vessel allows landing and takeoff of helicopters and it also has helicopter hangars and a flight control tower.

(Xinhua News Agency July 2, 2008)