The fishing vessel Hai Xing 716, which carried out the emergency fuel delivery, drops anchor. [Photo/Tide News]

Zhoushan Haixing Ocean Fisheries — a company based in the Dinghai district of Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province — recently received an urgent email from the village of Omoka on remote Penrhyn Island, part of the Cook Islands in the South Pacific.

The Cook Islands are located over 6,000 kilometers from the east coast of Australia.

The message reported a looming shortage of vital diesel that threatened the local power supply due to transportation disruptions. Without immediate aid, the message read, residents would face severe challenges in their daily lives.

The region's remoteness and scattered coral islands, often hundreds of nautical miles apart, make regular supplies difficult, especially in adverse weather. Penrhyn Island lies over 700 nautical miles from the Cook Islands' capital of Avarua.

At the time of the request, Haixing's fishing vessels the Hai Xing 716 and Hai Xing 717 were en route to Apia Port, more than 100 nautical miles from Penrhyn.

The company immediately convened an emergency meeting. Guided by humanitarian values and mutual aid, the decision was made to send the Hai Xing 716 to assist the village. After 24 hours of navigation, the crew delivered 5,000 liters of diesel to the island, helping residents avoid a power crisis.

It marked the second emergency aid mission undertaken by the company's vessels to the Cook Islands, reflecting the strong sense of responsibility among Zhoushan's offshore fishing companies.

The Hai Xing 717 was also dispatched over 100 nautical miles on June 25 to provide fuel support following another request from the Cook Islands. The Cook Islands government expressed deep gratitude for the timely assistance.