230
TRANSPORT
Hong Kong is independently represented as an Associate Member of the International Maritime Organisation and, in accordance with the Sino-British Joint Declaration, this status will continue after 1997. During the year Hong Kong played host to an IMO working group involved in revising the Code of Safety for Dynamically Supported Craft. This is one area in which Hong Kong has made a considerable contribution to the IMO's work. Others include the development of the Protocol to the 1997 International Convention for the Safety of Fishing Vessels and initiating work on international eyesight standards.
Civil Aviation
The year saw the resumption of strong growth both in passenger and cargo throughput at the airport, following a moderate growth period in 1991 due to the Gulf War and the worldwide economic slowdown. A total of 22.1 million passengers passed through the terminal, an increase of 15.3 per cent over the total of 19.2 million in the previous year. A total of 956 896 tonnes of cargo, valued at $332 654 million, were handled, compared with 849 786 tonnes of air cargo valued at $282 635 million in 1991. Air transport continued to play an important role in Hong Kong's external trade. Of Hong Kong's total trade in imports, exports and re-exports, air transport took about 18 per cent, 30 per cent and 13 per cent in value terms respectively. The USA remained the major market for exports and re-exports by air, accounting for 37 per cent and 23 per cent respectively.
In 1992, an increase of 10.3 per cent in aircraft movements was recorded, bringing the annual total to 120 999 of which 76 per cent were wide-bodied aircraft.
The programme of improvements at Kai Tak started in 1988 and is expected to be completed by the end of 1993. It is aimed at enabling the airport to meet continuing high growth in passenger and cargo throughput until the commissioning of the new airport at Chek Lap Kok, off the north coast of Lantau Island. (See Chapter 16)
In March, facilities within the passenger terminal were reconfigured and an additional passenger handling facility was brought into operation to cope with the continued growth in passengers transiting through Hong Kong, particularly passengers from Taiwan transferring to flights to the People's Republic of China. Furthermore, a second interline baggage handling facility was commissioned. A mechanised system for the recovery of self-help trolleys was put into operation to increase the efficiency of trolley retrieval from the transport terminus back to the baggage reclaim hall.
In August, the refurbishment of the older part of the passenger terminal building, costing $283 million, was completed. Passengers can now enjoy both a more attractive environment and more efficient facilities on their arrival and departure through the building.
Other improvements made within the passenger terminal building include the installa- tion of two additional flight information display boards and the commissioning of a new Cathay Pacific Airways airside first class lounge. The latter facilitated a reorganisation of the available lounge space to optimise use of its existing area.
Several schemes to improve transport facilities and road access to the airport were also completed in 1992. They included improvements to Sung Wong Toi Road to facilitate traffic flow from the west; the realignment of the Eastern Road and the provision of a new roundabout at the eastern approach to the airport. The transport terminus was expanded to provide more space for waiting taxis and airport buses.