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COMMUNICATIONS
immigration launches are on duty day and night in the eastern an- chorage, and from 6.30 a.m. to 6.45 p.m. in the western anchorage. Ships are cleared as soon as they arrive and, in the case of large passenger ships, immigration processing is continued en route to the berths to reduce inconvenience to passengers. Radio pratique is granted in certain cases. This concession is of prime importance to the operators of oil tankers as it allows discharge to start as soon as the ship is berthed.
Signal stations on Waglan Island and at other points in the harbour and approaches are continuously manned. All movements are reported to the Port Control Office, where staff is always avail- able to deal with emergencies and queries. The signal stations are in contact by a radio-telephone link with Marine and Port Health launches and by landline with Police, Immigration, Fire Services and Preventive Services operational centres. Vessels at buoys and wharves may hire radio-telephones from Cable and Wireless, Limit- ed, to link up with the public telephone services.
As a port service, a fleet of fire floats is operated by the Fire Services Department. It includes the fireboat Alexander Grantham, possibly the largest of its kind afloat. Many government and com- mercial tugs are also fitted with fire-fighting equipment.
Port activity in 1967 showed a slight decline compared with 1966, principally due to the unsettled conditions in mainland China and, to a smaller degree, the disturbances in the port and stoppages of work by some seamen. Successful efforts by the Marine Department did much to normalize movements of ships during these periods. Although the total number of ocean-going vessels entering the port in this calendar year was below that of 1966, the total of 613, in March, represented the largest total for any one month since the Second World War. Details of vessels entered and cleared during the year, together with figures of cargo loaded and discharged, are in Appendix XXXVIII, which also shows the number of passengers dealt with, including transit emigrants. Regular and frequent serv- ices are maintained by many well-known and old-established shipping lines. Some 20 companies provide regular sailings to Europe, and a similar number to the North American continent. There are regular services to Australia, New Zealand, South Africa,