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COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSPORT
general goods, 51 per cent of which was containerised cargo. While the tonnage of cargo carried in containers continues to increase, a considerable amount of dry cargo handled in Hong Kong is still transported at some stage by about 2,000 lighters and junks. The ratio of mechanised junks has levelled off at about 41 per cent of the total. Shipboard cargo gear is normally used for loading and discharging cargo alongside wharves or in the stream, but floating heavy-lift cranes are available when required. Modern equipment that helps to achieve the rapid turnround of ships has been brought into use by the wharf and godown companies. A mobile floating roll-on-roll-off ramp is operated by one of the Kwai Chung Container Terminal operators. Nearby, at Tsuen Wan, there is a 16-storey godown with a usable floor area of 140,000 square metres; this godown is equipped with container lifts serving all floors.
Most wharves and terminals are provided and operated by private enterprise, and they are capable of accommodating vessels of up to 305 metres in length with draughts of up to 12.2 metres. Facilities in the public sector include the Hong Kong - Macau Ferry Terminal and the public cargo working areas at Wan Chai and Yau Ma Tei, which are administered by the Marine Department. Government policy calls for the continued provision of public cargo working areas throughout Hong Kong to keep internal cargo movement swift and efficient.
Within the port, there are 72 mooring buoys operated and maintained by the Marine Department for ocean-going vessels. Of these buoys, 43 are suitable for vessels up to 183 metres in length and the rest for ships up to 135 metres in length. The moorings include 64 special typhoon buoys, which are located so that ships can remain secured to them during tropical storms. This obviates unnecessary ship movements, thus help- ing to maintain efficiency and reduce operational costs. Safe anchorages are available for deep draught vessels.
There is considerable tourist and other sea passenger traffic between Hong Kong and Macau, and facilities at the Hong Kong - Macau Ferry Terminal on Hong Kong Island have been expanded and improved. In 1977, more than 5.2 million passengers were carried by the jetfoils, hydrofoils and traditional ferries plying this route.
For ships calling at Hong Kong, quarantine and immigration facilities are available on a 24-hour basis at the Western Quarantine Anchorage and, from 6.30 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Eastern Quarantine Anchorage. Ships are normally cleared inwards on arrival and large passenger vessels are processed on the way to their allocated berths. Advance immigration clearance and radio pratique may be obtained by certain vessels on application.
Pilotage in Hong Kong is not compulsory, but is considered advisable because of the density of traffic and the scale of harbour works continually being undertaken. The pilotage authority in Hong Kong is the Director of Marine.
Navigational aids in the harbour and approaches are constantly being improved to ensure greater safety. All fairway buoys are lit and many beacons are fitted with radar reflectors. Marine Department signal stations at Waglan Island, Green Island and North Point, and the Port Communications Centre, are all inter-connected by telephone, radio-telephone and teleprinter circuits. The Marine Department operates a continuous VHF radio-telephone port operations service based on international maritime frequencies, which gives comprehensive marine communications throughout the harbour and approaches. There also is a continuously monitored disaster network