Journeying the Belt and Road, Ep. 10: Food on the Ship

World
Europe

01:42

We have been traveling on the ocean for more than 10 days. The biggest challenge as a sailor is that you have to kill some boring moments, when you are surrounded by nothing but water, and at the same time have no access to the Internet.

But the biggest reward for being a sailor, is that you can see the sun rise everyday. That still seems not interesting, according to some crew members who have worked for years.

Sailing is a tough job, it requires energy consumption. Often workers have to climb up and down on or below the deck. Therefore the food on the ship has to be good.

People make dumplings on the ship VIRGO. /Photo by CGTN

For Chinese vessels like COSCO SHIPPING VIRGO, there are four dishes per meal. But every Sunday, the ship hosts a big feast day. Crew members gather in the kitchen to make dumplings.

Dumplings are a universal food. People from all parts of China likes them.

People make dumplings on the ship. /Photo by CGTN

“During weekdays, everybody is so busy. This activity provides a chance for gathering. It is good for team communication and cooperation,” said Jin Shengyue, VIRGO's political commissar.

The food is stored in a refrigerator. Every trip, the ship loads supplies 2-3 times. Most of the vegetables and seasonings are from China, and the meats are brought from European countries.

It also has eight tons of water, which allows 20 people to live for a month.

People make dumplings on the ship. /Photo by CGTN

The ship also has to follow strict maritime garbage disposal rules. There are several categories of waste: plastic, domestic and food. The food waste can be dumped into the water directly when the vessel has gone far from the ports.

CGTN reporters are traveling with COSCO SHIPPING VIRGO along the maritime economic route. The reporters departed from the Port of Ningbo Zhoushan and are about to arrive at the Suez Canal. It will continue its journey to Hamburg.

(Cover: People eat food on the ship. /Photo by CGTN)