A Chinese sailor stands on duty during an accompanying escort mission for a merchant ship. Photo by Zhang Yuanhu中国海军对被护商船实施伴随护航。张元虎摄
BEIJING, June 8 - The 44th Chinese naval escort taskforce completed its escort mission for the Panamanian merchant ship Heilan Song after it arrived at the safe area in the Mandab Strait on June 2, local time. The merchant ship crew expressed thanks to the Chinese warship through Channel 16 VHF.
北京，6月8日 -- 当地时间6月2日清晨5时许，随着巴拿马籍商船“海澜之歌”号安全抵达曼德海峡附近海域解护点，中国海军第44批护航编队圆满完成第1568批船舶护航任务，该商船通过16频道向中国海军表达感谢。
On May 27, upon receiving the request of the Panamanian merchant ship, the 44th Chinese naval escort taskforce made careful preparation and dispatched the destroyer Zibo to carry out the accompanying escort mission.
5月27日，接到巴拿马籍商船接护请求，编队迅速研究航经海区和任务海域水文气象等情况，派出淄博舰实施伴随护航。
In light of the recent frequent piracy activities, the warship Zibo maintained timely communication with the escorted ship en route. Also, it deployed the helicopter to conduct air patrol when passing through complex waters or at other special moments.
鉴于近期海盗活动较为频繁，海军第44批护航编队在途中保持与被护船舶的及时沟通，还在其通过复杂海区等特殊时段派遣直升机进行空中巡逻。
En convoy, a mother pirate ship with three dinghies once tailed after the merchant ship and tried to attack. The ship Zibo activated the radar to monitor the targets and adjusted its course to block the merchant ship, shining a bright light on the incoming pirates and sounding a siren to warn them away at the same time.
护航途中，曾经出现一艘海盗母船携三艘小艇尾随商船试图袭击的情况。淄博舰启用雷达对目标进行监视，同时调整航向挡住“海澜之歌”号商船，用强光照射来袭海盗，并拉响汽笛对其予以警告驱离。
"Pirates often employ the cover of darkness to make sudden boarding and hijacking of passing merchant ships, ” said Zhang Wei, head of the taskforce's commanding group. “We must stay alert all the time to ensure the safety of the escorted merchant ship."
“海盗经常借助夜色掩护，对过往商船进行突然登临劫持。”编队指挥组组长张伟介绍说，“我们必须时刻保持警惕，确保被护商船安全。”
It is learnt that in the past 15 years since China launched the escort missions, the PLA Navy has dispatched more than 100 vessels to escort more than 7,000 Chinese and foreign ships, with nearly 100 rescuing and protecting targets involved, more than 50% of which are foreign ships.
据了解，开展护航行动15年来，中国海军已累计派出100余艘次舰艇，完成7000余艘中外船舶护航任务，解救、接护各类船舶近百艘，其中外国船舶占50%以上。
