Binjiang Police Affairs
Chapter 217 - 168: All Grown Up! _2

Chapter 217: Chapter 168: All Grown Up! _2

Director Feng originally had mouth ulcers and couldn’t even eat, but considering safety, he still personally led the team to inspect the seaworthiness and technical condition of vessels carrying chemicals and hazardous goods along the route.

For seven consecutive days, they visited all the docks and berths within the jurisdiction. The mission was accomplished, but he fell ill.

Once a fire breaks out on those ships carrying dangerous goods, it is very difficult to extinguish on the river.

Once those ships carrying chemicals have a leakage, it will pollute the environment and even affect the drinking water safety of downstream populations.

And the Binjiang Waters are the busiest waterways for Changhang transportation, with thousands of various vessels passing through each day. As a person in the shipping industry, Han Yu could imagine how much pressure they were under.

"Sister Ningning, I heard that your jurisdiction has been redrawn?"

"It’s not exactly redrawn, just clarified."

"How was it clarified?"

"The main waterway uses the Yangtze River Estuary Hydrological Station at Xu Liujiang as a boundary, east of it belongs to the East Sea Port Supervision, and Dacang Port Supervision Station also falls under the jurisdiction of the East Sea Port Supervision Bureau. North Branch Channel is bordered by Niu Peng Port, and from Niu Peng Port eastwards to the mouth entering the sea is managed by the East Sea Port Supervision Bureau."

Han Yu asked further, "Will the East Sea Port Supervision Bureau manage our downstream waters in Linghai?"

The staff and law enforcement rescue boats of the East Sea Port Supervision Bureau are not many, and their jurisdiction covers a vast area, from the Huangpu River to the Yangtze River, and then onto the sea.

Compared to the main waterway of the Yangtze River and the Huangpu River, the North Branch Channel is hardly considered important.

Han Xiangning fell silent for a moment, saying helplessly: "When it was under our jurisdiction, we couldn’t cover everything either."

Han Yu, who has been working in Bailong Port since joining the workforce and has a deep attachment to the North Branch Channel, whispered, "The management of water traffic safety is not particularly urgent. After all, the ships are navigating on the river, just tightening control at Bailong Port side will do. The main issue is with such division, you and the East Sea Port Supervision each manage a section, who will be responsible for dredging the waterway, and who will handle the salvage of sunken ships."

"Everyone dredges their own section, everyone salvages their own."

"But if it’s dredged upstream and not downstream, it’s the same as not dredging at all."

Han Yu paused, then continued, "The sediment accumulation in the North Branch Channel is so severe. If a ship really sinks, if it’s not salvaged promptly, it will be covered by sediment within a day and a night, making it very difficult to locate and find where the ship has sunk."

Compared to water traffic, the superiors place more importance on land traffic.

Specifically at the Yangtze River Tail, the superiors pay more attention to the South Branch main waterway and not so much to the North Branch Channel.

Han Xiangning really didn’t know how to explain, so he simply said perfunctorily, "If you can think of all this, the leaders surely must have considered it too. Besides, you’re police, not Port Supervision, why bother yourself with so much."

Han Yu sighed lightly, "Compared to your Port Supervision, our police work is much harder."

"How so?"

"You at least handle section by section governance—upstream manages upstream, downstream manages downstream. We not only have to manage by sections but also have to divide between Jiangnan and Jiangbei. It’s nearly to the point of drawing a midline in the middle of the river, with the south side of the midline’s water security falling under Dacang or East Sea’s jurisdiction, and the north side’s water security being managed by Yanjiang Police Station."

"The Yangtze River tide level changes every day, and the river’s width is different every day, how can this midline be set, haha."

"So, our job is harder than yours."

"At least you have unified the waters on the Jiangbei side with Director Yu there, no need to divide it further."

"That is true."

Talking about work is much lighter than discussing other topics.

The two joked and laughed, and soon arrived at the Meteorological Bureau’s dormitory building.

Friend Han had received a call from his spouse earlier, knowing that his child bridegroom was coming today, he finished work half an hour early and went to buy some groceries.

Just as he was parking his bicycle downstairs, he saw the two children returning.

Han Yu quickly got off his bike and greeted them, Friend Han saw that the child bridegroom had grown taller, and couldn’t help but laugh, "San’er, I told you just to come, why bring so much stuff."

"It’s all local specialties, and it didn’t cost much."

"No bringing stuff next time."

"Okay, I won’t next time."

"Let’s go, we’ll head upstairs."

Friend Han parked the bicycle, looked back at his eldest daughter snickering, and smiled as he asked, "San’er, I saw the photos you sent to Ningning last time, I didn’t expect that you would become colleagues with the ’shoulder pole model’ Yang Yuanhuai. I’ve heard about him from a long time ago, even seen his news, why did he change ships?"

Han Yu asked puzzledly, "Uncle, what do you mean by changed ships?"

"I used to read in the newspaper that he was on the New East Sea, which seemed to be running the Hong Kong route, but now he’s on Changxiu and running to Qingdao instead."

"That’s quite normal."

Han Yu explained as they walked upstairs, "The Marine Bureau has many coastal passenger routes, which can generally be divided into the Southern Ocean and Northern Ocean routes. The Southern Ocean refers to routes south of the Yangtze River estuary, mainly serving Ningbo, Wenzhou, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong. The Northern Ocean refers to routes north of the Yangtze River estuary, mainly serving Dalian and Qingdao.

But the Marine Bureau has only so many passenger ships. Many of the ships were constructed some time ago and aren’t of great quality. Their main and auxiliary engines often break down, so the ships named Chang and Xin aren’t assigned fixed routes—they are moved wherever needed.

Moreover, the crew on the ship doesn’t rest while sailing. The crew members each have several dozen days of public leave per year, and their rest times are staggered.

For example, if the Changxiu I’m currently serving needs minor or major repairs, our crew will have to substitute for colleagues on leave on other ships."

Old Han finally caught on and asked with a laugh, "Does that mean you don’t always sail to Qingdao and could also get a chance to sail the Southern Ocean routes?"

Han Yu grinned, "Exactly, I might even get a chance to sail to Hong Kong."

Han Xiangning caught up and asked, "San’er, is the scenery in Qingdao really beautiful?"

"The scenery in Qingdao is truly beautiful, I can hardly believe such a wonderful place exists in the world. Every time we arrive near Qingdao in the afternoon around three, looking from the ship at the front ocean, the blue sea and sky, the red tiled green trees, the church twin towers, and the white lighthouse on Little Qingdao, it feels just like Heaven."

"I want to go to Qingdao for a trip."

"Sure, when you have time, I’ll help you buy the tickets."

Han Yu entered the Han family home and added, "Tickets are very tight, it’s hard to get fourth and fifth-class cabins, and the number of standing tickets depends on the situation; it’s not fixed. Anyhow, ships with the character Chang can carry about twelve hundred people."

Han Xiangning genuinely wanted to go to Qingdao and playfully asked, "How much is a ticket for the fourth-class cabin?"

"Thirty-three and eight."

"That’s expensive."

"It just went up."

"And the fifth-class cabin?"

"Twenty-four and one."

Since Sister Ningning wanted to play, it’s a wish that could be fulfilled. Thinking of his own private cabin on the ship, Han Yu couldn’t help but smile, "Sister Ningning, if you really want to travel, just spend nineteen and four for a standing ticket and stay in my cabin once you’re on board."

"Okay!"

Azure sea and sky, red-tiled green trees—it sounds like fun.

Han Xiangning put down the plastic bucket carrying the fish, helped him pour some water, and said with a laugh, "I want to go not only to Qingdao but also to Dalian!"

Friend Han threw up his hands and sat down, pouring out his playful scolding, "You only think about playing!"

"Dad, it’s my own money, and I’m not asking for yours. Besides, I have San’er, and as long as he can take me to the places he runs, I want to go and have fun."

"Do you have that much time?"

"Our Traffic Control Center is different from other departments; we can swap shifts, and adding on Sundays, gathering four to five days a month should be no problem."

"You plan to go out to play every month!"

"Why not, you yourself said it’s better to travel ten thousand miles than read ten thousand books, isn’t it good for me to go out and see the world?"

After spending three months in Bailong Port, this girl has thoroughly gotten wild.

Friend Han realized he was getting old and couldn’t control her anymore.

Thinking of her going out to play with San’er, he felt it wasn’t bad and said with a laugh, "Play is play, but it must not affect your work or San’er’s work."

"I know, I won’t affect the work."

Han Xiangning resolved that as long as she had time in the future, she would go out to travel and pulled Han Yu along, saying, "San’er, you can help me buy the tickets from the coast over the East Sea, and when you’re back at Binjiang, please talk to your sister and ask her to help me buy the ticket from Binjiang to the East Sea."

Working in the Port and Shipping Enterprises has its perks; buying tickets is easier than for others.

Han Yu readily agreed, "Okay."

As Han Xiangning thought more about it, she became increasingly excited, her eyes sparkling as she said, "Mengmeng would be so jealous if she knew I could go out to travel."