The presence of several ships flying flags of convenience near the Fangshan Submarine Cable Protection Zone off the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島) could indicate that they are engaged in “gray zone” tactics or targeting Taiwan’s undersea cables, military interest group TaiwanADIZ said yesterday.
The vessels switched their Automatic Identification System (AIS) statuses to “not under command” after entering the area, the group said.
AIS statuses are required under the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea. “Not under command” indicates that a vessel cannot maneuver due to exceptional circumstances such as engine or steering failure.
Photo: Screen grab from marinetraffic.com
Multiple vessels simultaneously reporting mechanical failure in the same location, particularly that location, is suspicious and raises questions about their motives, the group said.
The Fangshan area has one of the densest concentrations of submarine cables near Taiwan, it said.
Vessels that drop anchor and drag it along the seabed could damage the data links, it added.
Ships experiencing mechanical problems should notify maritime authorities and request assistance, it said.
The Coast Guard Administration and the Republic of China Navy should monitor the situation using coastal radar and patrol vessels to prevent foreign ships from sabotaging submarine cables under the guise of engineering difficulties, TaiwanADIZ said.
If the vessels continue to loiter, the threat to critical infrastructure would rise, it said, adding that authorities should order them to leave the area or board and inspect them.
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