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TRANSPORT
handling area which includes container yards and container freight stations, all of which are operated by private companies or consortia. Up to six 'third generation' container ships can berth simultaneously at the container port. A mobile floating roll-on-roll-off ramp is provided by a container terminal operator at Kwai Chung who, in addition, has a 12-storey multi-purpose godown in operation. This godown has a usable floor area of 52 400 square metres and the first two floors serve as a container freight station. Nearby, at Tsuen Wan, there is a 16-storey godown, with a usable floor area of 52 600 square metres, equipped with container lifts serving all floors. Further expansion of the Kwai Chung Container Port through the reclamation of more land is under active discussion.
In 1982, some 11 100 ocean-going vessels called at Hong Kong and loaded and dis- charged more than 33 million tonnes of cargo. This included 26 million tonnes of general goods, 41 per cent of which was containerised cargo.
Although containerisation is a major cargo transport method, a considerable amount of dry cargo handled in Hong Kong is transported at some stage by lighters and junks of which there were about 2 070 at the end of 1982, some 47 per cent of which were mechanised. Break-bulk cargo is normally handled using ships gear, but floating heavy-lift cranes are available when required.
On average, conventional ships working cargo at buoys are in port for 2.6 days and container ships are here for just 15.5 hours - excluding passage through Hong Kong waters and berthing and unberthing time. These are probably the fastest turn-round times for ships in the Far East.
Other wharves and terminals provided and operated by private enterprise are capable of accommodating vessels up to 305 metres in length, with draughts up to 14.6 metres. Cargo handling facilities in the public sector include public cargo working areas at Wan Chai, Yau Ma Tei, Tsuen Wan, Kwun Tong, Western District and Rambler Channel. These areas are administered by the Marine Department. Government policy calls for the provision of public cargo working areas throughout Hong Kong to keep internal cargo movement swift and efficient.
There is considerable tourist and other sea passenger traffic between Hong Kong and Macau. In 1982, 8.2 million passengers were carried by jetfoils, hydrofoils, jetcats and conventional ferries plying this route.
At the site of the old Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal, construction has started on the new permanent terminal which the developer is expected to hand over to the government before mid-1985. The new terminal is designed to handle up to 15 million passengers annually and to be able to accommodate 10 high-speed ferries and three conventional ferries.
A second terminal on Kowloon Peninsula has long been considered desirable. Con- sequently, the Sham Shui Po Ferry Pier was modified during the year, with a Kowloon to Macau service commencing operation from the pier in December.
At present all passenger traffic by sea to China is channelled through Tai Kok Tsui Pier. In 1982, 144 000 passengers were carried on the hoverferry service between Hong Kong and Guangzhou. Further facilities are planned on the site of the Kowloon Public Pier Number 54 at Tsim Sha Tsui to cope with the increasing traffic to China. It is anticipated that this terminal will be able to accept larger ocean-going passenger vessels, together with smaller high-speed vessels, all of which will be able to berth alongside.
Within the port there are 71 mooring buoys provided and maintained by the Marine Department for ocean-going vessels. Of these 44 are suitable for vessels of up to 183 metres in length while the remainder are suitable for ships up to 135 metres. The moorings include