Zhoushan in East China's Zhejiang province has introduced a new international maritime medical service to improve healthcare access for foreign crew members. The initiative follows a cooperation agreement signed between China Marine Shipping Agency Zhoushan and Zhoushan Dinghai Central Hospital on April 9.
The agreement establishes a one-stop service covering diagnosis, treatment assistance, and fast-track access, along with health consultations, chronic disease management, and medication guidance. It aims to address long-standing challenges such as language barriers, unfamiliar procedures, and limited port stay times.
Zhoushan is a major hub for distant-water fisheries, handling about 25 percent of the country's ocean catch imports and over 90 percent of the provincial total. It is also the province's only port city designated for foreign crew changes. In 2025, 39 of the city's 40 distant-water fishing enterprises employed foreign crew, totaling 5,507 workers.
Foreign crew members often struggle to describe their symptoms due to limited English proficiency and unfamiliarity with hospital procedures, and port stays are typically short. Many also lack family support during treatment, adding to the challenges.
In response, the hospital set up a dedicated maritime medical service area in March. It coordinates with shipping agents in advance to assess patient needs, recommend appropriate departments, and provide end-to-end support, including registration, interpretation, examination booking, and result explanation.
The two parties also plan to introduce a credit-based system that allows treatment before payment and to expand services such as referrals and health checkups, aiming to create a more efficient and accessible healthcare model for foreign crew members.