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SUNDAY, MAY 25, 1975
OIL POLLUTION CONTROL UNIT TO BE STRENGTHENED
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THE MARINE DEPARTMENT'S CAPABILITY OF FIGHTING OIL SPILLAGES IN HONG KONG WATERS WILL RECEIVE A BIG BOOST THIS YEAR WHEN A SPECIALLY-DESIGNED LAUNCH WILL BE ADDED TO THE DEPARTMENT'S POLLUTION CONTROL UNIT.
THE 73-FOOT LAUNCH, COSTING $1.8 MILLION, IS NEARING COMPLETION AT LANTAO ISLAND AND IS EXPECTED TO JOIN THE POLLUTION CONTROL FLEET BY SEPTEMDEN,
AT PRESENT, THE FLEET CONSISTS OF TWO VESSELS PERMANENTLY ATTACHED TO THE" POLLUTION CONTROL UNIT AND TWO STANDBY CRAFT FITTED WITH SPRAY DOOMS. ANOTHER 20 CRAFT WILL SHORTLY BE FITTED WITH SPRAY BOOMS TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN THE UNIT,
THE NEW LAUNCH, THE BIGGEST AND MOST SOPHISTICATED VESSEL IN THE FLEET, WILL BE EQUIPPED WITH OIL DISPERSANT STORAGE TANKS, SPRAY BOOMS AND AGITATING DEVICES, A HIGH PUMPING CAPACITY FOR SPRAYING EMULSIFIERS AND LIFTING EQUIPMENT FOR USE IN CONJUNCTION WITH DEPLOYING AND RECOVERING OIL CONTAINMENT BOOMS.
'THE LAUNCH WILL BE CAPABLE OF A MAXIMUM SPEED OF 12 KNOTS AND WILL BE ABLE TO OPERATE FOR ABOUT 100 HOURS AT A TIME AT HALF SPEED WITHOUT REFUELLING.
ALL PROPELLING MACHINERY AND PUMPS OF THE BOAT WILL BE CONTROLLED FROM THE WHEEL HOUSE WHICH WILL CONTAIN RADAR, ECHO (DEPTH) SOUNDER AND RADIO (V.H.F.) EQUIPMENT. WASHING, MESSING AND REST ROOM FACILITIES WILL BE PROVIDED FOR HALF OF THE ESTIMATED 16 PERSONNEL ON BOARD DURING EMERGENCY OPERATIONS.
ACCORDING TO A SPOKESMAN FOR THE POLLUTION CONTROL, MR. A.A.C. MASON, THE PRIME FUNCTION OF THE LAUNCH WILL BE TO DEAL WITH DAY TO DAY CASES OF MINOR OIL POLLUTION WHICH OCCUR FREQUENTLY WITHIN THE HARBOUR. IN CASE OF A MAJOR OIL SPILLAGE, IT WILL ACT AS A COMMAND BOAT OF THE OPERATING FLEET.
MR. MASON SAID IT WOULD ALSO BE USED FOR INSPECTING TANKERS AND OTHER VESSELS, INSPECTING SHIPS THAT ARE BUNKERING AND CONDUCTING OIL POLLUTION EXERCISES PARTICULARLY IN RESPECT OF TRAINING OF PERSONNEL AND ASSESSMENT OF EQUIPMENT.
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/THE PRESENT FLEET
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