[Jeff Head]

Here's another pic:

[Smokin' Joe]

Thanks for the pics, Jeff. The surveillance plane paradigm fits, really. Any excuse to stop, board, or impound the vessel would have been a bonus for the Chinese over just disrupting operations. The captain and crew did well to avoid such.

[stuartcr]

If the vessel were armed, it would require naval personnel to man it. There is not enough berthing and crew space for this, besides, the captain of the vessel is a civilian, contracted by MSC.