COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSPORT
159
There is also a continuously monitored disaster network that links the Marine Depart- ment's Search and Rescue Co-ordination Centre with aircraft of the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force and military helicopters, marine police and fire services launches, and other similar facilities. In the event of a vessel getting into difficulties in the South China Sea, within about 1,300 kilometres of Hong Kong, the Marine Department is able to act as a rescue co-ordinating centre. In conjunction with technical experts from the United Kingdom Government, the Marine Department has continued to develop plans for the installation of an electronic surveillance system for the port.
A watch on shipping, fairways, typhoon shelters and cargo working areas is kept by Marine Department launch patrols. The launches are in continuous radio contact with the Port Communications Centre, enabling the centre to initiate and co-ordinate any action required in unusual circumstances. A fleet of fire-fighting vessels operated by the Fire Services Department is kept in a state of readiness, and_units are stationed on both sides of the harbour.
Good bunkering facilities are provided in the port, and vessels may be supplied with fuel oil either from wharves at oil terminals or from a fleet of harbour oilers. Fresh water is obtainable at commercial wharves or from waterboats that service vessels at anchor or at government mooring buoys. A harbour telephone service is available at buoys and wharves.
—
There are extensive facilities in Hong Kong for repairing, maintaining and dry-docking or slipping all types and classes of vessels up to about 228 metres in length and 26.8 metres in beam. New facilities on the west coast of Tsing Yi Island have continued to develop and there are now five floating dry docks located off Tsing Yi, the largest of which has a lifting capacity of 100,000 tonnes deadweight. Hong Kong has some 130 minor shipyards equipped to undertake repairs to small vessels. These yards also build specialised craft, particularly sophisticated pleasure craft and yachts.
Hong Kong is a prominent centre for recruiting seamen. The Seamen's Recruiting Office and the Mercantile Marine Office register and supervise the employment of 20,000 seamen on board 1,400 vessels of all flags. The Hong Kong Merchant Navy Training Board met twice in 1979 and the training needs of local seamen continued to be assessed in order to improve training standards and thereby enhance employment prospects. The board comprises 18 members including representatives of relevant government departments, seamen's training schools, and employer and employee associations. Six specialist sub- committees, each dealing with a separate area in the training of seafarers, met regularly throughout the year. The Mariners' Clubs in Kowloon and Kwai Chung provide recrea- tional and welfare facilities for visiting seamen of all nationalities.
Civil Aviation
A steady growth in air transport was experienced throughout 1979 with significant increases in passenger traffic and cargo throughput. Hong Kong International Airport, Kai Tak, which is one of the busiest airports in Southeast Asia, handled more than 6.2 million passengers, an increase of 12 per cent over 1978. In addition, nearly 550,000 travellers stopped over briefly in transit at the airport.
The air freight industry was buoyant throughout the year with a total throughput of some 260,000 tonnes, 12.5 per cent above the preceding year's performance. The value of goods carried was estimated to be some $36,000 million. Thus, the volume of freight forwarded by air carriers accounted for more than one-fifth of Hong Kong's domestic imports in terms of value, almost one-quarter of its exports, and about one-third of the