Why Are River Boats Prohibited From Entering the Sea? Unlocking the Millennial Riddle of "River and Sea Inseparability"

Why Are River Boats Prohibited From Entering the Sea? Unlocking the Millennial Riddle of "River and Sea Inseparability"While both river boats and ocean-going vessels share the ability to carry passengers and cargo, why are river boats forbidden from entering the sea? This seemingly simple question hides deep considerations of maritime safety and economic efficiency.River boats, as the name suggests, are vessels designed specifically for river navigation

Why Are River Boats Prohibited From Entering the Sea? Unlocking the Millennial Riddle of "River and Sea Inseparability"

While both river boats and ocean-going vessels share the ability to carry passengers and cargo, why are river boats forbidden from entering the sea? This seemingly simple question hides deep considerations of maritime safety and economic efficiency.

River boats, as the name suggests, are vessels designed specifically for river navigation. Their hulls are typically smaller and often flat-bottomed, allowing them to navigate narrow and shallow waterways with ease. However, this design comes with a fatal flaw: shallow drafts render river boats vulnerable to strong winds and waves, making them prone to capsizing.

In contrast, ocean-going vessels boast expansive hulls, usually featuring a "V" or "U" shape at the bottom, with deeper drafts, providing them with better stability and resistance to wind and waves. To handle the storms and rough seas, ocean-going vessels also have higher freeboards, specifically designed sheltered decks and hatches, and advanced communication systems and navigation equipment.

Beyond structural differences, the materials and construction processes used for river boats and ocean-going vessels also vary significantly. River boats are primarily constructed with ordinary steel and wood, with relatively simple corrosion-resistant measures. Ocean-going vessels, on the other hand, employ specially treated corrosion-resistant materials and are coated with a half-centimeter-thick layer of anti-rust, anti-corrosion, and acid-resistant paint, ensuring the hull remains stable even after prolonged exposure to seawater.

The complexity and dangers of the marine environment far surpass those of rivers. Powerful waves, currents, reefs, and tides all pose significant threats to navigation. Only experienced and highly skilled captains can guarantee safe navigation in such harsh conditions. Consequently, national standards for ocean-going vessel captains are much stricter than those for river boat captains, and the entire crew undergoes regular training and assessment.

Allowing river boats to enter the sea not only presents an extremely high safety risk but also negatively impacts the shipping market. Illegal maritime transportation by inland vessels disrupts market order and impacts the livelihoods of coastal vessels, ultimately creating a vicious cycle.

However, recent advancements in technology and shipping techniques are gradually breaking the ban on river boats entering the sea. The successful test voyages of the Wuhan-based "Jianghai Zhi Da 17" and "Jianghai Zhi Da 19" bulk carriers, capable of navigating directly from the river to the sea, demonstrate the feasibility of the "Direct River-Sea" model, opening a new path to solve the age-old problem of "river and sea inseparability."

In the future, as technology continues to innovate, the design and construction of river boats will see constant improvement, further enhancing their seafaring capabilities. It is believed that soon, river boats entering the sea will no longer be an unattainable dream but a reality, injecting new vitality into the development of China's shipping industry.

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