Ro-ro passenger ship captain Huang Wanli observes waters through binoculars in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Feb. 3, 2026. (Xinhua/Xu Yushen)

HAIKOU, March 13 (Xinhua) -- In a roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) passenger ferry operating across the Qiongzhou Strait in southern China, Captain Huang Wanli carries out meticulous inspections of the vessel's maintenance status to ensure safe and reliable operations.

The 35-year-old master serves aboard the "Shuangtai 36," a ro-ro passenger ship owned by Hainan Strait Shipping Co., Ltd. The vessel navigates the busy Qiongzhou Strait, a key maritime link between Hainan, China's southern island province, and mainland Guangdong Province. Huang's primary responsibilities focus on ensuring operational integrity and navigational safety.

"I frequently go down to the car deck to check conditions and inspect the fire-fighting equipment," Huang explained. "Our top priority is ensuring that passengers cross the strait safely."

Huang's workload has intensified significantly during the 2026 Spring Festival travel rush, which runs from Feb. 2 to March 13. This period marks the first major holiday travel surge since the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) launched island-wide special customs operations on December 18, 2025.

"Every Spring Festival travel rush presents the year's greatest challenge, but this year feels particularly demanding," he noted. "With passenger and vehicle numbers climbing sharply, the ferry service operates at a high intensity."

Official figures show that Hainan received more than 12.32 million tourist visits during this year's Spring Festival holiday, representing a 28.9 percent increase from the previous year.

Huang emphasized that operational safety and service management are the foremost concerns this season. "Drawing on experiences, I've briefed my team on how to handle situations like calming passengers and communicating with drivers when services are suspended due to bad weather," he said.

For Huang, working through the holiday period is a matter of professional obligation. "As frontline transport workers, we remain at our posts during critical times to help passengers reach their families safely. That sense of purpose makes it all worthwhile."

Looking forward, Huang acknowledged that the responsibility continues to grow as the free trade port develops and cross-strait traffic increases year by year.

"Since the launch of island-wide special customs operations, I feel an even greater sense of accountability. We must not only ensure safe transport but also elevate our service standards to provide passengers with a better ferry experience," he said. ■

Ro-ro passenger ship captain Huang Wanli prepares for sailing at the cab of the "Shuangtai 36" in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Feb. 3, 2026. (Xinhua/Xu Yushen)

Ro-ro passenger ship captain Huang Wanli inspects the loading situation in the ship's vehicle deck in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Feb. 3, 2026. (Xinhua/Xu Yushen)

Ro-ro passenger ship captain Huang Wanli inspects fire-fighting equipment aboard in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Feb. 3, 2026. (Xinhua/Xu Yushen)

Ro-ro passenger ship captain Huang Wanli inspects the cabin in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Feb. 3, 2026. (Xinhua/Xu Yushen)