Risk prevention of marine and meteorological disasters along the “21st Century Maritime Silk Road”

Abstract

The area of the “21st Century Maritime Silk Road” is subject to the tropical monsoon climate. It is one of the areas with the most frequent occurrence of marine and meteorological disasters: Extensive damages are caused in maritime activities, resulting in huge casualties and property losses. The need to ensure the safety of the marine environment for offshore projects, marine navigation, marine operations and port operations in the areas along the Maritime Silk Road is in great demand. This paper reveals the main characteristics of the four marine and meteorological disasters of typhoon, storm surge, severe waves, and tsunami along the Maritime Silk Road. The status of marine disaster monitoring and pre-warning system in the countries along the Maritime Silk Road is reviewed. There are three key problems: (1) Most countries along the Maritime Silk Road are economically and technologically underdeveloped, and have generally weak marine disaster monitoring capabilities. (2) International cooperation mechanisms are not sound. Major marine disasters are transnational in nature, and it is difficult for a single country to build a comprehensive monitoring, warning, prevention and emergency response. (3) Countries along the Maritime Silk Road have not yet carried out research on disaster warning theories and key technologies based on the unique geographical and technological characteristics of the maritime areas, and there is a lack of a maritime disaster prediction and early warning system. In view of the above key problems, four risk prevention countermeasures are proposed: (1) Constructing a database of marine disasters and their background, and studying their scientific mechanism; working with countries and regions along the Maritime Silk Road to conduct a comprehensive and systematic survey of marine disasters along the routes; clarifying the spatial and temporal distribution of typical marine disasters, accurately identifying potential disaster risks, systematically analyzing and conducting in-depth research on the breeding and mechanism of major marine disasters, their the regional distribution, and evolutional characteristics; (2) establishing a reasonably distributed, three-dimensional and reasonably distributed marine monitoring network and an early warning system for marine disasters and making comprehensive plans for building China’s maritime monitoring capabilities along the Maritime Silk Road. This will be implemented by jointly building marine observation stations; deploying more drifting and submersible buoys; carrying out remote sensing of ocean satellites and ship navigation observations; strengthening the study and application of theories and key early-warning and forecasting techniques for marine and meteorological disasters in the coastal areas along the routes; and building an early warning system for marine disasters from near shore to seas; (3) establishing a marine disaster risk assessment system for the Maritime Silk Road. We will carry out marine risk assessment of storm surge, tsunami and wave and marine disaster zoning in high-risk areas, develop maps for marine disaster risk zoning, and scientifically delineate key areas for protection against marine disasters. In addition, we will formulate the technical specifications and standards for risk assessment, establish a technical system for risk assessment suitable for the Maritime Silk Road, and prepare scientific marine disaster emergency plans for the navigation of ships at sea and marine construction operations, enhancing the capability of marine disaster risk assessment and decision-making services; (4) establishing the framework for the “21st Century Maritime Silk Road” joint early warning center for marine disasters, building multilateral coordination, regional cooperation and an information-sharing mechanism for early warning and prevention of marine disasters. With this focus, countries along the Maritime Silk Road ought to recognize China’s technological advancements and leading role in the scientific and technological progress of marine disaster prevention and reduction, as well as in the formulation of international rules.