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 1310/152015-04-18 → 2015-06-20
    Underwater operations 19 apr thru 19 jun by dredge long chau and dredge long chau 02 within 1000 meters of…
    South China Sea · Vietnam
  2. HYDROPAC 3828/142014-12-22 → 2014-12-31
    Underwater operations 0001Z to 1200Z daily until 31 dec in area bound by 18-51.0N 108-14.0E, 18-50.2N…
    South China Sea · Gulf of Tonkin
  3. HYDROPAC 2448/142014-08-20 → 2014-09-16
    Survey operations in progress until 15 sep by M/V salvin diamond vicinity of trackline joining 08-33-37.476N…
    South China Sea
  4. HYDROPAC 2035/142014-07-10 → 2014-10-01
    Survey operations 12 jul thru 30 sep by M/V le quoc 01 in area bound by 19-23-26.5N 105-49-44.5E,…
    Gulf of Tonkin · Vietnam
  5. HYDROPAC 1919/142014-07-01 → 2014-09-16
    Survey operations in progress until 15 sep by M/V bp 05-04-05 towing 250 meter long cable in area bound by…
    Gulf of Tonkin · Vietnam
  6. HYDROPAC 1218/142014-04-28 → 2014-05-01
    Underwater operations in progress until 30 apr in area bound by 17-59.7N 111-57.5E, 17-53.6N 112-01.4E,…
    South China Sea
  7. HYDROPAC 664/142014-03-08 → 2014-03-23
    Underwater operations in progress until 22 mar by M/V joides resolution in 12-55.1N 115-02.8E
    South China Sea
  8. HYDROPAC 3258/132013-10-21 → 2013-11-29
    Underwater operations in progress until 28 nov by M/V skandi hawk with submersible vicinity 11-38.5N 118-54.3E
    South China Sea · Philippines
  9. HYDROPAC 2581/132013-08-28 → 2013-10-21
    Underwater operations in progress until 20 oct by M/V toisa paladin with submersible along trackline between…
    South China Sea
  10. HYDROPAC 2524/132013-08-23 → 2013-08-28
    Underwater operations 28 aug thru 20 oct by M/V chu ba phuong along trackline between 07-27.4N 108-24.9E and…
    South China Sea
  11. HYDROPAC 1315/132013-05-08 → 2013-05-26
    Underwater operations in progress until 25 may by M/V hai yang shi you 941 within one mile of 21-48-46N…
    Northern South China Sea
  12. HYDROPAC 2061/122012-07-20 → 2012-07-25
    Underwater operations in progress until 24 jul by M/V dsv rem etive vicinity 11-38-32N 118-58-22E
    South China Sea
  13. HYDROPAC 1717/122012-06-18 → 2012-07-16
    Underwater operations in progress until 15 jul vicinity of trackline joining 22-14.5N 114-39.1E, 21-31.9N…
    South China Sea
  14. HYDROPAC 1591/122012-06-07 → 2012-07-01
    Underwater operations in progress until 30 jun in area bound by 19-58-00N 115-22-15E, 19-57-30N 115-26-30E,…
    South China Sea
  15. HYDROPAC 1590/122012-06-07 → 2012-06-26
    Underwater operations in progress until 25 jun within two miles of 19-22-59N 112-05-27E
    South China Sea
  16. HYDROPAC 1233/112011-04-22 → 2011-05-11
    Drilling operations in progress until 10 may by drilling vessel nanhai 4 within 2000 meters of 18-36.3N…
    South China Sea
  17. HYDROPAC 1225/112011-04-21 → 2011-04-22
    Drilling operations in progress until 10 may by drilling vessel nanhai 4 within 2000 meters of 18-36.3N…
    South China Sea
  18. HYDROPAC 1171/102010-06-04 → 2010-07-31
    Underwater operations in progress until 30 jul in area bound by 18-43N 110-58E, 18-43N 111-20E, 18-15N…
    South China Sea
  19. HYDROPAC 587/102010-03-24 → 2010-03-28
    Survey operations in progress until 05 may by M/V pacific explorer in 05-50N 106-20E
    South China Sea
  20. HYDROPAC 1437/082008-07-27 → 2008-08-05
    Oceanographic survey 01 thru 04 aug by M/V baruna jaya 1 in area bound by 12-39-03.9N 119-54-54.5E,…
  21. HYDROPAC 2050/062006-10-27 → 2007-04-27
    Survey operations in progress until further notice by M/V geco eagle towing ten 3.5 mile long cables in area…
  22. HYDROPAC 1549/062006-08-15 → 2006-10-01
    Survey operations in progress until 30 sep by M/V towing 5000 meter long cable in area bound by 16-29.9N…
  23. HYDROPAC 1930/052005-11-19 → 2005-12-02
    Underwater operations in progress until further notice vicinity 01-25.3N 104-29.3E
  24. HYDROPAC 1861/052005-11-05 → 2005-11-06
    Underwater operations in progress until 061100Z nov vicinity 01-25.14N 104-29.14E
  25. HYDROPAC 1544/052005-09-21 → 2005-10-25
    Siesmic survey in progress until 30 oct by M/V nan hai 502 in area bound by 08-55N 117-00E, 08-55N 112-45E,…
  26. HYDROPAC 1336/052005-08-19 → 2005-10-01
    Survey operations in progress until 30 sept by M/V geo surveyor towing 1500 meter long cable in area bound…
  27. HYDROLANT 1515/052005-08-19 → 2005-08-19
    Survey operations in progress until 30 sept by M/V geo surveyor towing 1500 meter long cable in area bound…
  28. HYDROPAC 1292/052005-08-10 → 2005-08-11
    Survey operations in progress until 10 sep by M/V pacific sword in area bound by 05-16-57N 114-31-20E,…
  29. HYDROPAC 620/052005-04-13 → 2005-06-01
    Survey operations 18 apr thru 31 may by M/V E.T
  30. HYDROPAC 957/022002-05-23 → 2002-06-12
    Survey operations in progress until 30 jun by vessel towing 3800 meter long cable in area bound by 18-45.1N…
  31. HYDROPAC 1196/012001-07-28 → 2001-09-03
    Survey operations in progress until further notice by M/V geco eagle towing four mile long cable in area…
  32. HYDROPAC 643/012001-04-28 → 2001-06-02
    Survey operations in progress until further notice by M/V geco eagle towing four mile long cable in area…
  33. HYDROPAC 840/002000-06-06 → 2000-07-31
    Underwater operations in progress until 30 jul within two miles of 25-13-21N 120-04-18E
  34. HYDROPAC 332/991999-04-23 → 1999-07-11
    Survey operations in progress until 10 jul by M/V seabulk ross seal towing 4500 meter long cable in areas…

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 3 · seahazards