2.7
2.8
2.9
In addition, with regard to the proposed Kwai Chung site the Committee concluded:- (a) that a container terminal/depot having initially 2 berths with provision for expansion in stages to 3 and finally 4 berths, each 810 feet in length with a depth of water along- side at Low Water Springs of 35 ft. (that is, capable of handling a ship 750 feet in length and drawing up to 33 ft. of water) with an area of flat land behind the berths at a scale of at least 20.7 acres per berth would be necessary to meet the Colony's foreseeable future needs for containership facilities;
(b) that the concentration of cargo handling facilities in a single area has significant transport implications and necessitates extensive road facilities on land together with lighter and transhipment facilities for movement by sea;
(c) that such a terminal/depot comprising two berths could be provided meeting these requirements on the waterfrontage of the Kwai Chung reclamation within a period of 4 years from the date of decision to proceed with the project at a total construction and equipment cost including dredging, seawalls, reclamation, special surfacing, buildings and mechanical equipment but excluding land in the order of HK$62 M (£3.87 M) per berth;
(d) that the land and unreclaimed seabed necessary and suitable for such a terminal as now existing at Kwai Chung and having an area of some 95 acres if made available for this purpose might command a price in the order of HK$33.5 M (£2 M). Subsequently the Container Committee was advised by Government that no further action would be taken on their recommendations other than to ensure that the Kwai Chung site was not alienated for other purposes until such time as firm plans for container- ships or otherwise had been disclosed by the majority of shipowners using Hong Kong ports. They were also requested to submit further reports quarterly starting from September 1967 to keep Executive Council advised as to the situation concerning container develop-
ments.
The Container Committee's layout for the Terminal as proposed in 1966 is shown on Drawing 4.
Terms of Reference
2.10
2.11
It became clear, because of developments at other ports in the Far East, that if facilities for containerships were required in Hong Kong they would be required quickly. The Governor-in-Council therefore ordered that an engineering study of the proposed terminal at Kwai Chung should be undertaken even though no shipping company had made clear their intentions regarding container services to and from Hong Kong. The main purpose of ordering this study in September 1968 was to reduce as far as possible the time necessary to produce in Hong Kong facilities for containerships once the requirement had been. established and the go-ahead had been given.
The terms of reference for the study were as follows:-
"To confirm or amend proposals made by the Container Committee regarding the alignment and siting of a reclamation for the proposed container port at Kwai Chung taking into consideration:--
(a) The engineering economics of the scheme;
(b) New developments since the Report was made in 1966 (e.g. Size of container-
ships in use, methods of stacking containers);
(c) The availability of filling material for reclamation;
(d) The dredging required and the type of material involved including its suitability
as filling material;
(e) The possibility of future silting or scouring of the sea bed;
(ƒ) The best alignment for the quaywalls and their most economical design;
(g) The adequacy of the existing road network to take the likely traffic generated; To consult the Marine Department on the requirements for berthing, loading, un- loading, stacking, etc.
To recommend a reclamation scheme giving construction stages, the likely time required for the completion of each stage and estimated costs.
To consider the special conditions which have to be laid down and under which any grant of land would be made should the container port be developed by private enterprise".
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