Chinese Research Vessel Lan Hai 101 to Enter Northern Philippines by Tuesday Evening

MANILA – The Chinese Research Vessel (CRV) Lan Hai 101 is set to enter the northern part of the Philippines by late Tuesday afternoon or early evening, according to a high-ranking naval officer. Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, reported that the vessel was observed moving northward, close to true north. At the time of his statement, the ship was located west of Subic Bay, approximately four to five hours away from Cabra Island at a speed of 12 knots, which equates to about 60 nautical miles. If the vessel maintains its current speed, it is expected to reach the northern region of the country by late Tuesday afternoon or early evening. Trinidad also projected that the CRV Lan Hai 101 would exit the Philippines’ northern exclusive economic zone (EEZ) by midnight or early Wednesday morning. The vessel, which departed from Port Klang in Malaysia, was intercepted by a monitoring station in Balabac, Palawan on the afternoon of February 9. The crew promptly responded to the Philippine challenge, providing details of their last and next ports of call, the captain’s name, and confirming a crew of 56 members. They were navigating through the Philippines’ archipelagic sea lanes due to adverse weather conditions in the western part of Palawan, a passage permitted under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The ship’s next destination is Shandong, China. Trinidad described the crew’s response as acceptable, noting that foreign vessels have the right to pass through archipelagic sea lanes under UNCLOS. He emphasized the continuous and expeditious nature of the ship’s passage, which had exited Coron the previous night. Trinidad praised the vigilance of the monitoring stations that tracked the vessel upon entering the EEZ and responded to challenges at various points, including Lubang Island. He stressed that such behavior is expected from foreign ships passing through Philippine waters. The Philippine Navy remains vigilant, continuously monitoring the EEZ and ensuring compliance with protocols, supported by recent legislation such as the Maritime Zones Act and the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act.