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Communications
SHIPPING
VICTORIA Harbour, the main port of the Colony, enjoys a world- wide reputation as a port which provides all the requirements of modern shipping. The magnificent natural harbour which lies between the island of Hong Kong and the city of Kowloon, almost landlocked, has an area of 23 square miles and varies in width between one-and six miles. The surrounding hills form excellent natural protection from the prevailing easterly winds and the tidal streams are never so strong as to inhibit cargo working operations in the port by vessels at anchor or secured to mooring buoys.
Port administration is one of the responsibilities of the Director of Marine. To ensure that port facilities and services keep abreast of developments and the changing needs of Hong Kong and the ships of all nations which use the port, the Director is assisted by the advice of the Port Committee and the Port Executive Com- mittee, through which the closest liaison with the shipping and commercial interests of the Colony is maintained. The Department neither controls nor operates any of the alongside berthing facilities of the port nor the transit sheds or warehouses associated with them: it does however maintain 75 moorings for ocean-going vessels within the harbour and of these, 44 are classified as being suitable for use by ships up to 600 feet in length, and 31 for ships up to 450 feet in length. In addition, the largest and deepest-draught vessels afloat can be afforded a safe anchorage within the limits of the harbour. The commercial wharves can accommodate vessels of up to a thousand feet in length with drafts of up to 36 feet.
The comprehensive system of navigational aids in the harbour and approaches allows safe entry to the port by day and by night and improvements are continually being implemented within the port or its approaches. All fairway light buoys are fitted with