With a system of 21 islands and island points with 33 military stations on the Truong Sa archipelago, the presence of officers, soldiers, employees of repair shops, docks, rest stations... has become a solid support for fishermen to go offshore and stick to the sea.
For generations, fishermen in Truong Sa fishing grounds have always faced numerous difficulties. In recent years, the synchronous construction of the ports in Truong Sa island district has provided maritime logistics services, helping fishermen go offshore to catch seafood, affirming the sovereignty of the sea and islands of the Fatherland. Currently, Truong Sa island district has 4 ports: Truong Sa, Song Tu Tay, Sinh Ton and Da Tay, ready to support fishermen at all times.
The day we arrived at Sinh Ton Island was also the time when fisherman Luong Ba Ket, residing in Hoa Hiep Trung Commune, Dong Hoa Town, Phu Yen Province, who specializes in catching ocean tuna, brought his ship with registration number PY 91269 TS to Sinh Ton Island to repair the engine's cooling system. Previously, during a long fishing trip at sea, the cooling system was damaged, causing the ship to malfunction. As soon as the ship anchored, the damaged equipment of the ship was dismantled and quickly repaired by technicians from Sinh Ton Island's Logistics - Technical Service Center, Squadron 129 for Mr. Ket. In just one session, the damaged parts were maintained, reassembled and the ship was back to normal operation.
Unable to hide his joy, Mr. Luong Ba Ket excitedly shared: “For fishermen who brave the waves and wind all year round like us, if the boat is damaged in the middle of the sea, our lives will be in danger, and the boat cannot travel hundreds of nautical miles to return to the mainland for repairs. Therefore, during stormy days at sea, all hope is placed on the docks on the islands, where there are logistics and technical service centers. When the boat has any problems, you all wholeheartedly support us fishermen in repairing it, making us extremely grateful…”.
Not only Mr. Ket but also the docks are a solid support for thousands of fishermen going out to sea. According to our research, at the docks, fishermen are supported in all aspects by officers, soldiers, and technicians to ensure a safe trip at sea. For damaged boats, fishermen are repaired free of charge by skilled technicians, selected from the mainland. If parts need to be replaced, the cost will be the same as on the mainland. At the Sinh Ton island dock, there are fresh water and oil tanks with a capacity of hundreds of cubic meters, ready to support free fresh water for fishermen, and fuel will be purchased at market prices. In addition, fishermen are also provided with free food, medicine, etc.
At Song Tu Tay Island, a wharf with an area of about 3.57 hectares, a 230 meter long, 40 meter wide entrance, with a capacity for about 100 anchored boats, was also built and completed in 2009. After more than 10 years of establishment, this wharf has become a familiar destination for fishermen from the South Central Coast provinces as well as the provinces from Thanh Hoa and Nghe An who fish offshore. Currently, the wharf has a full workshop to repair machinery and boats for fishermen, besides, there is also a fishing village with 3 buildings to serve as a shelter for fishermen during the storm season.
Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Ngoc Tien - Captain of the People's Fisheries Logistics Service Team - Song Tu Tay Island Port shared: The unit has 5 main tasks to support fishermen to go offshore and stick to the sea comprehensively, including: repairing machinery and equipment for boats; providing fresh water, fuel, food and provisions for people. At the same time, guiding fishermen to enter and exit, anchoring at the port safely during the rainy and stormy season, as well as receiving the first information about the health of fishermen to contact the clinic for examination, treatment and rescue of fishermen at sea. Each task has its own responsible teams with the highest determination, ensuring the safety of fishermen, helping people feel secure to stick to the sea. On average, each year Song Tu Tay Port supports 400 - 500 boats, with more than 1,000 fishermen.
Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Ngoc Tien recalled: At the end of 2021, Song Tu Tay Island suffered a terrible storm No. 9 with a level 16 gust. At that time, there were 15 boats entering the port to avoid and take shelter from the storm. The unit mobilized all its forces to guide people in and out, anchor boats in the port, and at the same time, brought 84 fishermen to safe shelter in the fishing village. After 4 hours of fighting, the storm dissipated, trees and structures on the island were severely damaged. However, thanks to proactive and timely measures to support fishermen, all 15 boats were safe, and people returned to sea after the storm...
Lieutenant Colonel Pham Van Tho - Deputy Political Commissar of Brigade 146, Naval Region 4, the unit managing the system of islands and island points in Truong Sa archipelago, said: Implementing the program "Vietnam Navy as a fulcrum for fishermen to go offshore and stick to the sea", phase 2019 - 2022, units of the Brigade have promoted propaganda, support, rescue, etc., ensuring fishermen feel secure when going to sea.
Our country's sea and islands are strategically important spaces for the country's defense and security, forming a multi-layered defense line, serving as fulcrums, fortresses, and outposts, while also being a solid shield from the sea, creating a seamless sea-island-shore defense posture.
The Truong Sa archipelago is currently divided into 8 clusters: Song Tu, Loai Ta, Thi Tu, Nam Yet, Sinh Ton, Truong Sa, Tham Hiem, and Binh Nguyen. Located in the Southeast of our country, between 6030 and 12000' North and 111030' and 117030' East, it includes more than 100 islands, rocks, coral reefs and coral reefs scattered over a wide sea area from West to East, about 350 nautical miles, occupying a sea area of about 160,000 to 180,000 km2.2. This is the sacred land, the incense of our ancestors, our forefathers for hundreds of years. We have full historical evidence and legal basis to affirm the sacred and inviolable sovereignty over the two beloved archipelagos of Truong Sa and Hoang Sa.
Throughout the struggle and protection of this sacred archipelago of the Fatherland, many generations of officers and soldiers of the Navy, Naval Region 4, the outstanding sons of the Fatherland, have heroically sacrificed. Countless bones, blood and sweat of officers and soldiers have been shed, many comrades will forever remain with the sea and islands to build and protect Truong Sa to be what it is today.
Lieutenant Colonel Tran Danh Hoang - Commander of Sinh Ton Island said: Although the country has now entered a time of peace, to firmly protect the sovereignty of the sea and islands of the Fatherland, every day, officers and soldiers on Truong Sa archipelago in general and Sinh Ton Island in particular still continuously train and are ready to fight. Units on the island always thoroughly grasp the spirit of direction from superiors, absorb, grasp and master modern techniques and equipment, contributing to improving the effectiveness of training work.
At the islands of Song Tu Tay, Da Nam, Sinh Ton Dong, Co Lin, Len Dao or Sinh Ton that we visited, combat readiness work is always carried out seriously by the officers and soldiers on duty here, ensuring the number of troops on duty 24/24 hours. Especially, on holidays and Tet, patrol and control work is carried out more strictly, in order to promptly detect targets with signs of encroachment on Vietnam's sea and airspace.
Thanks to the close attention of all levels and the spirit of training and high combat readiness, in recent years, officers and soldiers on both the islands and the submerged islands in the Truong Sa archipelago have always completed their tasks excellently. For example, in 2022, the Sinh Ton Island Party Committee achieved the title of Excellent Mission Completion and was a Determined to Win Unit, with 4 officers and soldiers of the unit achieving the title of Emulation Fighter. On Song Tu Tay Island, 7 individuals achieved the title of Emulation Fighter; the island achieved the title of Determined to Win Unit; the Party Committee excellently completed its tasks and had 3 collectives and 13 individuals achieving the titles of Advanced Unit, Emulation Fighter and Advanced Fighter... In 2022, the entire Brigade 146 had 480 collectives and individuals being commended by all levels.
Colonel Nguyen Van Bach - Deputy Commander, Chief of Staff of Naval Region 4 said: Naval Region 4 is a unit tasked with training, combat readiness and combat, managing and protecting key sea and island areas, especially important strategic positions in terms of economy, politics, national defense and security of the country. The central political task of the region is to build a revolutionary, disciplined, elite, modern region, acting as the core in firmly protecting the sovereignty of the sea, islands, and sacred continental shelf of the Fatherland.
Thanks to the good work of building "standard, exemplary" ships, each branch and each combat position, through the learning and working process, has mastered in-depth exploitation of modern weapons and technical equipment. Most recently, the Missile Guard Ship Squadron 015 - Tran Hung Dao and Ship 016 Quang Trung of Brigade 162, Region 4 participated in the Ship Parade and International Military Games (Army Games) 2021 in the Russian Federation, and for the first time achieved the Silver Medal in the Sea Cup. This has affirmed the quality of combat training and the level of mastery of weapons and technical equipment of the Navy, enhancing the position and prestige of the Vietnam People's Navy with international friends.
In 2022, Navy Region 4 had 1 individual awarded a Certificate of Merit by the Prime Minister. The Region was awarded the Emulation Flag by the Ministry of National Defense, 6 collectives and 18 individuals were awarded Certificates of Merit by the Ministry of National Defense, 5 units of the Region were awarded the Emulation Flag of the Navy, 88 collectives were awarded the Title of Determined to Win Unit, 522 individuals were awarded the Title of Emulation Fighter, 4 collectives and 11 individuals achieved the title of Most Outstanding of the Navy.
“In the face of increasingly heavy requirements and tasks of protecting sea and island sovereignty, the unit has continuously promoted its tradition, focused on building a politically strong Region, as a basis for improving overall quality, strength and combat readiness, meeting requirements and tasks in the new situation. Ready to fight and sacrifice to protect the sovereignty of the sea and islands of the Fatherland; determined to protect every inch of island and sea, maintain a peaceful and stable environment in the assigned sea area, contributing to the cause of building and protecting the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the new situation” – Colonel Nguyen Van Bach emphasized.
