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COMMUNICATIONS
of them being mechanically propelled. Mechanical lighters are particularly suitable for handling and transporting cargo, and the number of these craft is constantly increasing. Bunkering services are provided at the five major oil wharves or by lighter. The year under review saw the completion of a new tanker terminal at Nga Ying Chau which is capable of handling super-tankers of great size and draught. Fresh water supplies to shipping are readily available either at wharves or at buoys from water barges.
Officers of the Mercantile Marine Office supervise the engage- ment and discharge of seamen serving in British ships and also the crews of those ships whose countries have no consular representa- tion in Hong Kong. The Seamen's Recruiting Office commenced operations in June, with responsibility for the regulation, recruit- ment, and registration of all seamen employed in Hong Kong on foreign-going vessels, together with the recruitment of seamen for those ships whose owners or agents do not operate a licensed crew department. A Port Welfare Committee ministers to the needs of crews of visiting ships and co-operates with religious and other organizations devoted to this work. The committee also administers the Merchant Navy Club in Kowloon. In 1966, $247,014, partly donated privately and partly from a government subvention, was made available for port welfare purposes.
The dockyards were kept busy during the year with new con- struction, repair work and conversions. They also provided for the numerous surveys necessary for ships to retain their classifications or to conform under international maritime safety conventions with the laws of the country whose flag they fly. These called for the constant services of government marine surveyors and the surveyor representatives of Lloyd's Register of Shipping, Bureau Veritas, the American Bureau of Shipping and Det Norske Veritas. A twin-screw, twin-grab dredger, built for the Hong Kong Govern- ment, was launched by Hongkong and Whampoa Dockyard in November. Considerable waterfront extensions and berths were completed during the year by the same dockyard. The Hong Kong Registry of Shipping now lists 491 vessels under the British flag, totalling some 840,186 gross register tons. Of these, 125 ships are over 500 tons gross. Vast numbers of small craft operate in the harbour and create special problems by their density. There