After piloting a cargo ship coming from abroad to berth at Yangpu Port, pilot Lin Daomin in protective gear steps off the cargo ship's gangway. [Photo by Pu Xiaoxu/Xinhua]

Hainan has a coastline of more than 1,500 kilometers, and its economy is a typical island economy in which transportation to and from the island is the lifeblood of the province's survival. About 98 percent of cargo and 45 percent of passengers enter and exit by sea each year, and most of these ships are piloted by the Hainan Provincial Communication Pilot Station.

For various types of Chinese and foreign ships traveling to and from Hainan, pilots must not only be familiar with various ship operations and port hydrological environments, but also conversant in English for navigation so that they can communicate smoothly when piloting foreign ships. It is necessary to work closely with the piloting team and tugboat of the piloted ship, and piloting usually takes an hour to several hours.