International Journal of Geo-Information Article Integrating Island Spatial Information and Integer Optimization for Locating Maritime Search and Rescue Bases: A Case Study in the South China Sea Xiao Zhou 1,2,5, Liang Cheng 1,2,3,4,*, Fangli Zhang 1,2, Zhaojin Yan 1,2,3, Xiaoguang Ruan 1,2, Kaifu Min 1,2 and Manchun Li 1,2,* 1 Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Geographic Information Science and Technology, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China;
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[email protected] (K.M.) 2 School of Geography and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China 3 Collaborative Innovation Center for the South Sea Studies, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China 4 Collaborative Innovation Center of Novel Software Technology and Industrialization, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China 5 Guangxi Key Laboratory of Spatial Information and Geomatics, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541004, China * Correspondence:
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[email protected] (M.L.); Tel.: +86-25-8359-7359 (L.C.); +86-25-8968-1185 (M.L.) Received: 27 January 2019; Accepted: 13 February 2019; Published: 15 February 2019 Abstract: Maritime search and rescue (SAR) operations are critical for ensuring safety at sea. Islands have been considered as feasible solutions for the construction of new maritime SAR bases to improve the capacity of SAR operations in remote sea areas. This paper proposes a new framework, based on island spatial information, for determining the optimal locations for maritime SAR bases. The framework comprises four steps.