After a sleepless night, tired and drowsy,

The four ship design experts declined the offer from Minister Yang to rest at the Linghai Hotel and did not go to Jiangcheng with Director Liu from the Provincial Military District. Instead, they asked Deputy Political Commissioner Jiang from the Binjiang Military District to arrange a car to take them to Bailong Port, where they would take a high-speed passenger ship back to the East Sea.

They were in a hurry, and Han Yu could understand.

Because they chatted idly over late-night snacks, he learned many things he didn't know before.

In the first half of this year, the situation in the Taiwan Sea was extremely tense. To maintain the territorial integrity of the nation, the superiors amassed heavy troops on the Southeast Coast, even preparing for "thousands of troops crossing the strait, opening the way through thousands of miles of surging waves." However, due to the intervention of American Empire aircraft carrier groups entering the nearby strait, this imminent crisis ended with our military announcing the conclusion of exercises.

Naval equipment was lagging behind, and at the most critical moments, they had to resort to mounting cannons on the decks of cargo ships and temporarily converting them into armed merchant ships to face off against the opponent.

Building an aircraft carrier was not feasible, lacking both funds and technology.

The superiors decided to order six more advanced Big Shark vessels, and the shipyard where the four experts worked had to finish constructing the semi-submersible ship before the first of the second batch was launched, and to transport it to Russia.

Time was incredibly tight; they had to race against the clock!

Han Yu was not a shipbuilding expert. He had provided all he could, and wanting to help more would be in vain. He could only send the four experts off on the high-speed passenger ship with a heavy heart and then head back to the dormitory to catch up on sleep.

Han Xiangning was unaware of these matters and was preparing to move the Dunship and the old relic to the Sanhe Waters.

She needed to call Vice Director Zhang from the Linghai Port Engineering Construction Command to check if the electricity had been extended to the river bank, whether the water pipes had been laid out, and how the steel floating bridge would be erected...

The items on the Dunship that belonged to the Changhang Bureau, particularly the archival materials, needed Chen Zikun and Zhang Ping to assist in moving them ashore quickly.

After the Dunship and the old relic were moved to the Sanhe Waters, the collision pillars attached to both sides of the Dunship could not be left there; otherwise, they would stand isolated in the river, and passing cargo ships could accidentally hit them, leading to water traffic accidents.

Two kilometers downstream on a shoal, a derelict ship with no identification, no insurance, and no crew was stranded and broken. The shipowner and crew, sensing danger, fled without a trace, stripping away the diesel engine and other valuable parts before escaping.

Leaving it in the river was very dangerous. Who would pay for an engineering ship to deal with it if requested by the Police Bureau?

Knowing that they had to eliminate the hidden water traffic safety hazards, they could only ask for the help of Captain Fan, Zhu Baogen, and Ma Jintao to take 001 over to see if they could tow the stranded ship to Boss Wu's shipyard.

"Han Da, Han Da, we've arrived; I am now on the accident-stricken ship!"

"Is the damage to the hull severe? Can it be towed?"

Ma Jintao, looking at the broken hull and the water-filled cabin, said with a wry smile while holding the walkie-talkie, "It can't be moved or towed."

Han Xiangning furrowed her brows: "Why can't it be moved?"

Ma Jintao said helplessly, "The cabin is filled with water, and it looks like there's a lot of silt."

Director Jin also arrived, standing on the Supervision Boat on guard duty. He instructed Old Ge to take the Supervision Boat to the other side while adding through the walkie-talkie, "The welding seams of the cabin are all cracked. Even if it could be moved, the ship would be torn into two pieces."

"If it breaks into two pieces, it breaks. Can we clear the silt first and tow it in two stages?"

"No, the crack is right next to the engine room, and the stern is hanging over the deeper water on this side. If the ship breaks, the stern will fall into the deep water zone and we'll have to find a salvage ship to recover it."

Running away after an accident, the shipowner was so irresponsible!

Han Xiangning cursed inwardly and asked, "Director Jin, Captain Ma, can you repair the damaged hull and clean the water and silt from the cabin, then tow the ship back?"

"Repair... How to repair with water inside, and the workload would be too huge."

"Can you do it or not?"

"Yes, it can be done."

"If it can be done, that's good. I'll call Boss Wu now and ask him to arrange for some workers to help with the repairs."

"Han Da, I estimate that it won't cost less than five or six thousand yuan to do the repairs."

"A hundred-ton ship, selling it as scrap could make a decent amount of money."

"Can the repaired ship be sold after towing it back?"

In recent years, many docks have been built along the Yangtze River Mainline, and the number of berths in ports has also increased, but not a single anchorage has been added, resulting in no place to detain illegal ships.

Han Xiangning instinctively looked at the six detained ships anchored on the east side of the collision pillars and said with gritted teeth, "Tomorrow is Monday; I'll have a meeting at the bureau and also report to the bureau leadership. I will strive to deal with all the detained and accident ships at Bailong Port before moving to the Sanhe Waters."

Some ships have been "detained" by the Port Supervision Bureau for seven or eight years and have rusted beyond recognition, with no sign of the shipowners coming forward for resolution. If they were sold like this, what to do if the shipowners suddenly came looking for their ships?

Handling the temporary detention of illegal vessels is truly not an easy task.

Director Jin saw that Han Xiangning was even more resolute and efficient than Salted Fish, and couldn't help but laugh, "Alright, we'll wait here for Boss Wu to send someone over."

As Han Xiangning put down the walkie-talkie and was about to call Boss Wu, Director He from the Changhang Bureau unexpectedly called looking for Salted Fish.

"He was at a City Committee meeting all night, and as soon as he came back, he went to sleep in the dormitory."

"I was wondering why his cell phone was unreachable, so he's sleeping, huh."

"I turned off his cell phone, otherwise he wouldn't be able to sleep well. Director He, is there something you need?"

The Linghai Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government emphasize efficiency in their work. Vice Mayor Shen, just back from the Capital, arranged for Vice Director Qian from the Linghai Port Engineering Command to bring a team to the bureau to discuss the purchase of a new ship under construction.

Including preliminary research and feasibility study, subsequent tender, payment to Hanwu Channel Shipyard for design and the initial construction fees, Political Commissioner Jiang set a price of 2.1 million. Linghai, in a symbolic gesture, cut 100,000 off and promised to transfer the 2 million first thing on Monday morning.

Then they'd accompany them to Hanwu to alter the construction contract with the shipyard, and the remaining construction fees wouldn't the concern of the bureau anymore.

A neat profit of several hundred thousand!

Plus the 3.2 million originally planned for installment payments to the shipyard, once Linghai transfers the funds tomorrow, the bureau will have 5.2 million, never having been so well-off.

It's already the end of the year, and by then some subsidy and bonuses could be given to the police officers.

Recently, we've been busy negotiating with the city and the Port Authority for construction land. Once the land is allocated, we will be able to build a decent office building, and also provide some funding to organize a collective housing scheme for the police officers, so they won't have to live in the Port Authority's small, shabby tube-shaped buildings anymore.

Having money is great. Director He, revitalized by this happy event, looked at the desk calendar and said with a laugh, "It's not a big deal, nor is it very urgent. Director Huang from the Guzhou Branch just called me. He said that on the 16th, next Saturday, Shuzhou is going to hold a 'China Shuzhou Port Opening Celebration and the 96 Economic and Trade Conference'."

Han Xiangning snorted with laughter, "China Shuzhou Port!"

"If your village can change into China Bailong Port, they being a county-level city, famous nationwide as Wealth County, with last year's gross industrial and agricultural output ranking third or fourth among all counties in the country, why can't they name it China Shuzhou Port."

"Alright, they all can be named, but Shuzhou Port has been in operation for a long time, especially the floating crane pier, which has been in operation for at least two years. The embezzlement case cracked by your branch in collaboration with the Water Police Station earlier this year involved a lot of coal theft from transshipment at Shuzhou port, why are they only opening the port now?"

"It was previously in trial operation."

"Ports aren't like restaurants, can you 'trial operate' a port?"

Why is this girl so serious about everything?

But then again, if this girl weren't so serious, how would the bureau get the chance to crack a major case involving the fabrication and trafficking of fake seaman's certificates, and how could it possibly become so wealthy!

Director He felt truly grateful for Han Xiangning, and explained with a smile, "Perhaps the previous procedures were incomplete, they're complete now, and they can formally open the port for operation. Also, their naming it China Shuzhou Port is different from your China Bailong Port. They've been successful in declaring it a first-class port, the first and only one built by a county-level city."

"So, their China Shuzhou Port name is indeed well deserved."

"Of course, Director Huang from the Guzhou Branch mentioned that Shuzhou Port's application for the first-class port was submitted to the National Council, four central leaders collectively made a directive, one central leader nominated Shuzhou Port, and another central leader inscribed a message for them to 'ensure good river and sea transportation and develop the economy of Shuzhou'!"

The party and government leaders across the Jiang are really powerful; otherwise, the economy in the regions across the river wouldn't be doing so well.

Han Xiangning thought for a moment and then asked curiously, "But what does this have to do with San'er?"

"On the 16th, Shuzhou is planning to hold a grand port opening ribbon-cutting ceremony in the Port District, along with a maiden voyage ceremony at the petrochemical docks. Leaders from the central departments, Jiangnan Province, the Yangtze Navigation Bureau, and Guzhou City, will attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony and maiden voyage ceremony in Shuzhou Port."

Director He paused, then continued, "So many leaders coming at once, the land-based security of the ribbon-cutting is the responsibility of the Local Police, but the water security for the maiden voyage ceremony will be handled by the Changhang navigation police and your Port Supervision. The Guzhou Branch doesn't have decent law enforcement ships, so Director Huang thought of us and wants to ask your Salted Fish to bring over the 001 for a couple of days' assistance."

"Our Port Supervision Bureau's involved too?"

"The traffic safety in the Shuzhou waters falls under your jurisdiction. For such an important event, they will definitely invite you, and your Director Tang should have already received the invitation."

"Having San'er go there to help for a couple of days, but San'er has already transferred to the Linghai Police Bureau, and he's also busy now."

"I was planning to talk to him first, then contact Director Zhou, but didn't expect him to be asleep."

"Director He, why don't you contact Director Zhou first?"

"Alright."

His most capable subordinate has now become someone else's subordinate.

Director He couldn't help feeling a bit sour, but thinking about the few millions in the bureau's account, his mood turned very joyful again, and he laughed, "Even if I don't reach out to Zhou Hui Xin, I'm guessing the Jiangnan Province Hall Guard Office will contact the Binjiang City Bureau."

Han Xiangning laughed, "Is it that exaggerated?"

"It's not an exaggeration. With central leaders coming and provincial leaders also going to Shuzhou, involving water security, your Salted Fish is so familiar with these waters, the Jiangnan Province Hall Guard Office will definitely contact him."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.