When two red signal lights flashed at 2:38 pm on Saturday in Shanghai's Waigaoqiao Port, the country's first-ever anti-terrorist manoeuvre on land, water and air began.

The exercise began with information that revealed several terrorists were lurking in a container ship. Under the scenario, they were on their way to another country but their ship had temporarily berthed in Waigaoqiao Port.

On receiving the information, port security guards immediately moved to a level 1 alert. They carefully checked people and vehicles coming in and going out of the port, meanwhile strengthening protection of transformer substations and gas stations.

After the alert level rose to level 2, customs officials began inspecting suspect containers.

When new intelligence arrived that the four terrorists on the ship had kidnapped the crew, the alert was upgraded to level 3, the highest level.

The port stopped operations and all the exits were shut.

Police's wagons besieged the ship.

At the same time, the local maritime affairs authority dispatched a helicopter, which circled above the ship to monitor the terrorists' movement.

Two patrol ships also besieged the terrorist-controlled ship from both directions on the sea.

One terrorist put up a fight but was killed by tactics officers. The rest were disarmed and surrendered.

It only took the police 22 minutes to overpower the terrorists.

Bomb experts soon found a bomb in the container and the security bureau of the port immediately craned the bomb out the operational area of the port to a safe place.

The fire brigade set up a water curtain around the bomb before it exploded.

After the bomb exploded, two other fire engines rushed to put out the fire.

According to Xu Peixing, director of the Shanghai Municipal Port Administration Bureau, the manoeuvre was held to prepare officials and staff in Shanghai's port for new security measures that kicks in on July 1.

The new measures were required after the 2002 signing of the Safety of Life at Sea and the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code agreement at the meeting of the International Maritime Organization.

Miao Changbao, deputy director of the bureau, said that at present, 64 port facilities in Shanghai have passed the security inspection of the Ministry of Communications.

(China Daily June 29, 2004)