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Dong Hai Jiu 197 / Sea Rescue Ship 197
Ocean-going Search and Rescue Tug

The period of constant development lasted 30 years (1973-2003). Under the new situation of reform and opening up to the outside world, China Rescue & Salvage was involved in many national key projects or important rescue & salvage work, attracting intense attention of the Central Government and the State Council. The rescue & salvage system was getting reasonable, the rescue & salvage workers increased in number, and with even higher quality, and the Chinese rescue spirit of saving the hope of survival to others while braving the danger of death to oneself was fostered.

On Aug, 1973, Boluodikeliefu vessel was caught by typhoon 49 sea miles off Xiamen harbor of Taiwan Strait and called for rescue, however, the rescue vessel wasn't sufficiently powered for setting out to rescue and finally, the distressed vessel sank. This incident indicated that China's maritime rescue force, in particular, the rescue equipment, fell severely short of needs. Premier Zhou called for that it was imperative to reverse the backward situation of our maritime rescue & salvage as soon as possible.

In the same year, National Maritime Safety Headquarter was set up, and so were the corresponding institutions in coastal provinces and municipality. In the latter half year of 1974, based on the Shanghai Rescue & Salvage Bureau, the Guangzhou Rescue & Salvage Bureau and the Yantai Rescue & Salvage Bureau were built up in turn. In April, 1978, the Ministry of Communications officially established the Rescue & Salvage Bureau of the Ministry of Communications and the construction of national coastal rescue network was put in agenda.

Up to 1980, Rescue & Salvage Bureau in Yantai, Shanghai, and Guangzhou set up 8 rescue bases in Qinhuangdao, Rongcheng, Fuzhou, Xiamen, Shantou, Beihai, Zhanjiang and Sanya. With the preceding three rescue stations and rescue bases of Navy already in place, the rescue network construction was undergoing transformational expansion. Ever since that time till the early 1980s, the State channeled more financial resources to the rescue & salvage work and built tugboats of stronger horsepower, salvage vessels, and barge derricks in Japan, adding to its rescue & salvage capabilities.