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shipping. The fleet also comprises lighters, a dredger, floating clinics, and launches for transporting government staff.
All government vessels are specially designed to meet their users' needs. The Government Fleet Division designs and procures new vessels, maintains the whole fleet, and mans and operates about 70 general purpose vessels.
Bunkering facilities within the port are readily available to all vessels at commercial wharves and oil terminals, or from a large fleet of private bunkering barges. Fresh water can also be provided at alongside berths, or from a private fleet of fresh-water boats.
The port has extensive facilities for repairing, dry-docking and slipping all types of vessels, including oil rigs. Vessels of up to 150 000 deadweight tonnes can be accom- modated. A large number of small shipyards are available to undertake repairs to small vessels and build and maintain sophisticated patrol craft and pleasure vessels.
During the year, the government, including the Marine Department and the marine police, had to introduce a number of measures to combat the increasing number of smuggling incidents involving pleasure vessels exporting goods to China. As a result, the number of such incidents dropped but the situation is still under close observation.
By international agreement, the Marine Department is the Maritime Search and Rescue Co-ordinator for the area of the South China Sea north of latitude 10°N and west of longitude 120°E, excluding the immediate coastal waters of neighbouring states. The Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre is manned continuously and monitors the various emergency communications channels. A full search and rescue mission can be activated and run by fully-trained staff. Suitably equipped search and rescue vessels and aircraft are available and additional assistance can be obtained from other rescue co-ordination centres in the region. In March 1990, the Marine Department commissioned the first local user terminal for the locating of Emergency Position Indicator Radio Beacon (EPIRB) signals in the South-east Asia region.
Hong Kong is a prominent centre for shipowning, ship financing and ship management activities. Most local shipowners and connected businesses are represented by the Hong Kong Shipowners' Association, whose members control a significant percentage of the world's tonnage. At the end of 1990, the association members' fleet stood at 1 278 ocean- going vessels totalling 69.8 million deadweight tonnes or 38.5 million gross registered tonnage, of which 136 vessels representing 5.84 per cent of the gross registered tonnage were registered with the port of Hong Kong. The association is either a member of or works closely with all significant international maritime bodies to contribute and share in major developments concerning merchant shipping worldwide.
At present, ships registered in Hong Kong are British ships. The register had a total fleet of 6.3 million gross registered tons at the end of 1990. Statutory surveys of these vessels are undertaken worldwide by Marine Department surveyors or authorised classification societies for the issue of certificates in accordance with international conventions relating to maritime safety, pollution prevention and crew accommodation promulgated by the International Maritime Organisation and the International Labour Organisation. A similar service is provided to United Kingdom and foreign ships visiting Hong Kong.
During 1990, a total of 71 ships visiting the port of Hong Kong were subjected to inspection to enforce international conventions. This represented about 0.35 per cent of the foreign ocean-going ships (which excludes river-trade ships) estimated to have visited Hong Kong during the same period. Of these, 28 ships (or 39 per cent) required deficiencies to be