Survey operations in the South China Sea

Hydrographic and scientific survey vessels, often towing long arrays.

in force
1
last 12 months
1
vs previous 12 (0)
—
since 1999
135

Coverage note: the NGA archive ends 2024-05 and live collection began 2026-08-17. Warnings issued in between are here only if they were still in force when collection started, so 2024–2026 are under-counted.

In force now · 1

  1. HYDROPAC 2249/26in force2026-08-06
    Survey operations by vessel PXGEO 2 towing eight 5-mile cables continue until 31 December in Gulf of Thailand and South China Sea; wide berth requested.
    Gulf of Thailand · South China Sea · Malaysia

Longest in force

  1. HYDROPAC 2249/26in force2026-08-06 · 16 d
    Survey operations by vessel PXGEO 2 towing eight 5-mile cables continue until 31 December in Gulf of Thailand and South China Sea; wide berth requested.
    Gulf of Thailand · South China Sea · Malaysia

By year

99
00
01
02
05
06
08
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
26

By month (all years)

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Other hazards in the South China Sea

Archive · 134 cancelled

  1. HYDROPAC 3559/172017-10-18 → 2017-11-01
    Survey operations in progress until 31 oct by vessel towing 5000 meter long cable in area bound by 22-33-24N…
    South China Sea · Taiwan Strait · Taiwan-southwest Coast
  2. HYDROPAC 3520/172017-10-14 → 2017-10-27
    Survey operations 18 thru 26 oct by M/V discovery 01 in vicinity 09-45.38N 107-58.71E
    South China Sea · Vietnam
  3. HYDROPAC 3507/172017-10-13 → 2017-11-27
    Survey operations 14 oct to 30 nov by M/V cgg amadeus towing six 9000 meter long cables in area bound by…
    South China Sea · Vietnam
  4. HYDROPAC 3422/172017-10-07 → 2017-11-28
    Dangerous wreck in 01-25.92N 104-27.39E
    South China Sea · Malaysia
  5. HYDROPAC 3357/172017-09-30 → 2017-10-11
    Survey operations in progress until 20 oct by M/V cgg amadeus towing eight 8000 meter long cables in area…
    South China Sea · Vietnam
  6. HYDROPAC 3315/172017-09-27 → 2017-10-02
    Survey operations 28 sep thru 01 oct by M/V pgs apollo towing ten five mile long cables in area bound by…
    South China Sea · Tiawan
  7. HYDROPAC 3190/172017-09-16 → 2017-10-01
    Survey operations in progress until 26 oct by M/V pgs apollo towing ten five mile long cables in area bound…
    South China Sea · Taiwan Strait · Taiwan-southwest Coast
  8. HYDROPAC 3141/172017-09-13 → 2017-09-16
    Survey operations in progress until further notice by M/V pgs apollo towing ten five mile long cables in…
    South China Sea · Taiwan
  9. HYDROPAC 3090/172017-09-10 → 2017-09-11
    Survey operations in progress until 112200Z sep by M/V pgs apollo towing ten five mile long cables in area…
    South China Sea · Taiwan
  10. HYDROPAC 3057/172017-09-07 → 2017-09-13
    Underwater operations in progress until 12 sep by M/V visal 8 in 10-20N 107-47E wide berth requested
    South China Sea Vietnam
  11. HYDROPAC 3001/172017-09-03 → 2017-09-10
    Survey operations in progress until further notice by M/V pgs apollo towing ten five mile long cables in…
    South China Sea · Taiwan Strait · Taiwan
  12. HYDROPAC 2974/172017-08-31 → 2017-09-03
    Survey operations in progress until further notice by M/V pgs apollo towing ten five mile long cables in…
    South China Sea · Taiwan Strait · Taiwan
  13. HYDROPAC 2944/172017-08-29 → 2017-08-31
    Cancel HYDROPAC 2911/17
    South China Sea · Taiwan Strait · Taiwan
  14. HYDROPAC 2911/172017-08-27 → 2017-08-29
    Survey operations in progress until further notice by M/V pgs apollo towing ten five mile long cables in…
    South China Sea · Taiwan Strait · Taiwan
  15. HYDROPAC 2903/172017-08-26 → 2017-08-27
    Survey operations in progress until further notice by M/V pgs apollo towing ten five mile long cables in…
    South China Sea · Taiwan Strait · Taiwan
  16. HYDROPAC 2824/172017-08-20 → 2017-08-26
    Survey operations in progress until further notice by M/V pgs apollo towing ten five mile long cables in…
    South China Sea · Taiwan
  17. HYDROPAC 2796/172017-08-17 → 2017-08-20
    Survey operations in progress until further notice by M/V pgs apollo towing ten five mile long cables in…
    South China Sea · Taiwan
  18. HYDROPAC 2763/172017-08-15 → 2017-10-01
    Survey operations in progress until 30 sep by M/V cgg amadeus towing eight 8000 meter long cables in area…
    South China Sea · Vietnam
  19. HYDROPAC 2760/172017-08-15 → 2017-12-13
    Malaysia
    South China Sea
  20. HYDROPAC 2691/172017-08-08 → 2017-08-29
    Underwater operations 10 thru 28 aug by M/V discovery 01 in areas bound by: a. 16-09.17N 108-10.82E,…
    South China Sea · Vietnam
  21. HYDROPAC 2690/172017-08-08 → 2017-08-31
    Survey operations in progress until 310900Z aug by M/V discovery 01 in areas bound by: a. 16-13.46N…
    South China Sea · Vietnam
  22. HYDROPAC 2620/172017-08-02 → 2017-10-01
    Survey operations in progress until 30 sep by vessel towing 5000 meter long cable in area bound by 22-33-24N…
    South China Sea · Taiwan Strait · Taiwan-southwest Coast
  23. HYDROPAC 2460/172017-07-17 → 2017-07-22
    Salvage operations in progress until 21 jul in 10-32.08N 108-59.08E
    South China Sea · Vietnam
  24. HYDROPAC 2414/172017-07-13 → 2017-07-15
    Survey operations in progress until further notice by M/V pgs apollo towing ten five mile long cables in…
    South China Sea · Taiwan-southwest Coast
  25. HYDROPAC 2324/172017-07-04 → 2017-07-05
    Survey operations in progress until further notice by M/V pgs apollo towing ten 8100 meter long cables in…
    South China Sea · Taiwan Strait · Taiwan-southwest Coast
  26. HYDROPAC 2306/172017-07-02 → 2017-07-04
    Survey operations in progress until further notice by M/V pgs apollo towing ten 8100 meter long cables in…
    South China Sea · Taiwan-southwest Coast
  27. HYDROPAC 2304/172017-07-02 → 2017-07-02
    Survey operations in progress until further notice by M/V pgs apollo towing ten 8100 meter long cables in…
    South China Sea · Taiwan
  28. HYDROPAC 2299/172017-07-01 → 2017-08-16
    Survey operations in progress until 15 aug by M/V cgg amadeus towing four 8000 meter long cables in area…
    South China Sea · Vietnam
  29. HYDROPAC 2249/172017-06-27 → 2017-07-06
    Survey operations 28 jun thru 05 jul by M/V sapurakencana wira in area bound by 08-05.25N 108-08.10E,…
    South China Sea
  30. HYDROPAC 2182/172017-06-22 → 2017-07-02
    Survey operations in progress until further notice by M/V pgs apollo towing ten 8100 meter long cables in…
    South China Sea · Taiwan Strait · Taiwan-southwest Coast
  31. HYDROPAC 2137/172017-06-18 → 2017-06-24
    Survey operations 19 thru 23 jun by M/V ptsc researcher and M/V sapurakencana wira in area bound by…
    South China Sea
  32. HYDROPAC 2078/172017-06-14 → 2017-06-22
    Survey operations in progress until further notice by M/V pgs apollo towing ten 8100 meter long cables in…
    South China Sea · Taiwan-southwest Coast
  33. HYDROPAC 2050/172017-06-12 → 2017-06-14
    Survey operations in progress until further notice by M/V pgs apollo towing ten 8100 meter long cables in…
    South China Sea · Taiwan-southwest Coast
  34. HYDROPAC 1991/172017-06-06 → 2017-06-12
    Survey operations in progress until 21 jun by M/V pgs apollo towing ten 8100 meter long cables in area bound…
    South China Sea · Taiwan Strait · Taiwan-southwest Coast
  35. HYDROPAC 1928/172017-06-01 → 2017-06-06
    Survey operations in progress until 06 jun by M/V pgs apollo towing ten 8100 meter long cables in area bound…
    South China Sea · Taiwan Strait · Taiwan-southwest Coast
  36. HYDROPAC 1869/172017-05-28 → 2017-07-01
    Survey operations in progress until 30 jun by M/V cgg amadeus, towing four 8000 meter long cables in area…
    South China Sea · Vietnam
  37. HYDROPAC 1639/172017-05-09 → 2017-05-31
    Survey operations 11 thru 30 may by M/V pgs apollo towing ten 8100 meter long cables in area bound by…
    South China Sea · Taiwan Strait · Taiwan-southwest Coast
  38. HYDROPAC 1628/172017-05-08 → 2017-06-07
    Survey operations 09 may until further notice by M/V polarcus naila towing 12 9000 meter long cables in area…
    South China Sea
  39. HYDROPAC 1248/172017-04-08 → 2017-04-14
    Survey operations in progress until 13 apr by M/V pgs apollo towing ten 8100 meter long cables in area bound…
    South China Sea · Taiwan-southwest Coast
  40. HYDROPAC 1168/172017-04-02 → 2017-05-01
    Survey operations in progress until 30 apr by M/V cgg amadeus, towing eight 8000 meter long cables in area…
    South China Sea · Vietnam
  41. HYDROPAC 1157/172017-04-01 → 2017-08-01
    Survey operations in progress until 31 jul by vessel towing 5000 meter long cable in area bound by 22-33-24N…
    South China Sea · Taiwan Strait · Taiwan-southwest Coast
  42. HYDROPAC 1134/172017-03-31 → 2017-04-09
    Survey operations 01 thru 08 apr by M/V pgs apollo towing ten 8100 meter long cables in area bound by…
    South China Sea · Taiwan-southwest Coast
  43. HYDROPAC 890/172017-03-15 → 2017-06-01
    Survey operations in progress until 31 may by M/V ptsc researcher towing 1500 meter long cable and M/V ptsc…
    South China Sea
  44. HYDROPAC 1862/162016-06-21 → 2016-12-15
    Survey operations in progress until further notice by M/V fugro supporter in area bound by 15-00.00N…
    South China Sea · Vietnam
  45. HYDROPAC 1484/162016-05-20 → 2017-01-28
    Underwater operations in progress until further notice in area bound by 08-30.82N 108-34.47E, 08-36.49N…
    South China Sea
  46. HYDROPAC 3225/152015-09-28 → 2015-11-01
    Survey operations 30 sep thru 31 oct by M/V ptsc surveyor in areas bound by: a. 07-59.42N 108-09.77E,…
    South China Sea
  47. HYDROPAC 3201/152015-09-25 → 2015-10-03
    Survey operations in progress until 02 oct by M/V ptsc surveyor in 08-24.16N 108-41.40E
    South China Sea
  48. HYDROPAC 2383/152015-07-21 → 2015-08-16
    Survey operations 23 jul thru 15 aug by M/V fugro equinox in area bound by 08-11.22N 108-41.08E, 07-55.46N…
    South China Sea
  49. HYDROPAC 2382/152015-07-21 → 2015-08-16
    Survey operations in progress until 15 aug by M/V egs surveyor along tracklines between: a. 08-57.81N…
    South China Sea · Vietnam
  50. HYDROPAC 2058/152015-06-22 → 2015-11-01
    Survey operations in progress until 31 oct by M/V nor tigerfsh, M/V vos artemis, M/V mermaid vigiance, M/V…
    South China Sea · Vietnam

Sea boundaries: Flanders Marine Institute (2018), IHO Sea Areas v3, marineregions.org (CC BY 4.0). Not for navigation — follow official NAVAREA / coastal broadcasts and your national MSI service.

Survey operations in the South China Sea — page 2 · seahazards