Seafarers wait in line at Zhoushan Immigration Affairs Service Center. [Photo/Zhoushan Daily]

Zhoushan Immigration Affairs Service Center in East China's Zhejiang province introduced an upgraded round-the-clock guarantee service during the May Day holiday from May 1 to 5, accelerating crew change procedures for foreign seafarers and supporting international shipping operations.

Facing a surge in crew replacement demand during the holiday period, the center activated a peak-traffic response plan after assessing expected passenger flow in advance. Additional immigration counters and dedicated clearance channels were opened to improve processing efficiency.

Building on its existing 24-hour service system, the center also introduced flexible crew-change lanes for seafarers facing tight sailing schedules or urgent international flight connections. These measures enabled arriving crews to complete procedures quickly and depart without long waits, also easing congestion through diverted processing arrangements.

The streamlined clearance process helped shipping companies reduce the risk of vessel delays and lower operational costs during the holiday period.

Zhoushan, one of China's major international shipping hubs, has continued to see growing demand for crew exchanges. In 2025, the city's port areas handled more than 40,000 crew changes, up 21.3 percent year-on-year.