Transport 291
legislation is to be introduced, certain types of local vessels can also be surveyed by private inspection bodies authorised by the Marine Department.
Public Cargo Working Areas
The department manages eight Public Cargo Working Areas, in which licensed cargo operators are allowed to load and unload cargo onto and from barges and coasters. The total length of berths available in these working areas is 6 992 metres.
Reception of Marine Wastes
The department provides contractor services to collect domestic and operational refuse from ocean-going vessels and local vessels. The Chemical Waste Treatment Centre on Tsing Yi Island provides facilities for handling oily and chemical wastes from ships. Registered contractors collect such wastes from ships and deliver them to the centre.
Combating Oil Pollution
The department maintains a maritime oil spill response plan to ensure a timely and effective response to oil spills in Hong Kong waters.
There is also a regional maritime oil spill response plan for the Pearl River Estuary. The aim of this plan is to enhance regional cooperation in the event of a major oil spill occurring in Hong Kong or in any of the neighbouring ports in Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Macao and Guangzhou.
In October, the department's Pollution Control Unit organised a large-scale oil spill clean-up exercise in which all concerned government departments and local oil companies took part.
Shipping
Hong Kong Shipping Register
The Hong Kong Shipping Register (HKSR) is administered by the Marine Department. The supporting legislation related to the Register embodies international standards under the IMO, the International Labour Organisation and other international conventions applicable to Hong Kong.
Substantial growth in the HKSR continued in 2004. By year-end, the Register had grown to 1 009 vessels with a total of 25.6 million gross tonnage, representing a 24 per cent increase in tonnage over 2003. The HKSR is now ranked fifth in the world.
The Register maintains an excellent reputation for high quality and standards. To support this, the Marine Department conducts a Pre-Registration Quality Control assessment for ships with dubious quality intending to join the Register.
Statutory surveys of passenger ships are undertaken by Marine Department surveyors, while statutory surveys of cargo ships and verifications under the International and Safety Management and International Ship and Port Facility Security Codes are fully delegated to accredited classification societies and recognised security organisations. The department closely monitors the performance of Hong Kong- registered ships and their management companies as well as of classification societies