WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 1976
MARINE DEPARTMENT ALTERS HARBOUR FAIRWAY SYSTEM AND ESTABLISHES A +CLEARWAY+ FOR CONTAINERSHIPS ******
THE MERCHANT SHIPPING (CONTROL OF PORTS) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS 1976 WILL COME INTO OPERATION ON SEPTEMBER 1.
CHANGES IN SHIPPING PATTERNS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS HAVE INCREASED MOVEMENTS OF LARGE SHIPS IN THE WESTERN APPROACHES AND THE WESTERN HARBOUR.
THIS TOGETHER WITH THE REQUIREMENT TO PROVIDE VIRTUALLY UNOBSTRUCTED WORKING AREAS FOR THE IMMERSED TUBE TUNNEL SECTION OF THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY WHICH WILL BE LAID IN THE CENTRAL HARBOUR, HAVE NECESSITATED DREDGING OF THE CENTRAL FAIRWAY TO A DEPTH SUFFICIENT TO ALLOW HEAVY DRAFT VESSELS, INCLUDING PASSENGER LINERS BERTHING AT THE OCEAN TERMINAL, FREE ACCESS IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE HARBOUR.
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AT THE SAME TIME A MAJOR RE-ORGANISATION OF THE BUOYAGE SYSTEM FOR OCEAN-GOING SHIPS PRESENTLY BEING CARRIED OUT BY THE MARINE DEPARTMENT AND EXISTING AND PROPOSED RECLAMATIONS ALONG THE NORTH-WESTERN SHORE OF HONG KONG ISLAND HAS REACHED THE POINT WHERE CHANGES IN THE PRESENT MAJOR FAIRWAYS ARE NECESSARY.
THUS, THE BOUNDARIES OF THE SOUTHERN, CENTRAL AND HUNG HOM FAIRWAYS LISTED IN THE SECOND SCHEDULE TO THE PRINCIPAL REGULATIONS WILL BE VARIED AND TWO NEW FAIRWAYS WILL BE ADDED. THEY ARE THE NORTHERN AND NORTH GREEN ISLAND FAIRWAYS.
REFERRING AGAIN TO THE MOVEMENTS OF LARGE SHIPS IN THE WESTERN HARBOUR AND WESTERN APPROACHES, THE DIRECTOR OF MARINE HAS BEEN CONCERNED WITH THE PROBLEMS RELATED TO MOVEMENTS OF CONTAINERSHIPS IN THE AREA BETWEEN TSING YI ISLAND AND THE NORTHERN PART OF THE WESTERN TRAFFIC SEPARATION SCHEME RUNNING UP TO THE EAST LAMMA CHANNEL.
THIS AREA IS A VERY POPULAR ANCHORAGE FOR SHIPS INTENDING TO ANCHOR THERE FOR A SHORT PERIOD, BUT THE 3RD GENERATION CONTAINERSHIPS PROCEEDING TO AND FROM KWA! CHUNG ARE HAVING DIFFICULTY MANOEUVRING THROUGH ANCHORED VESSELS IN THIS AREA.
THESE SHIPS BEING UP TO 1,000 FEET IN LENGTH WITH DRAFTS IN THE REGION OF 40 FEET HAVE LIMITED MANOEUVRING ABILITY AND ARE ALSO RESTRICTED TO FAIRLY DEFINED ROUTES BY THE IR DRAFT.
HYDROFOILS AND JETFOILS REGULARLY USE AN EAST-WEST ROUTE PAST GREEN ISLAND AND THEIR MOVEMENTS WILL BE MADE EASIER BY REMOVING SUCH OBSTRUCTIONS.
IN ORDER TO ASSIST SUCH SHIPS AND TO AVOID POSSIBLE ACCIDENTS OR STRANDINGS, THE DIRECTOR OF MARINE WILL, FROM SEPTEMBER 1, ESTABLISH AN AREA FROM THE NORTHERN END OF THE EAST LAMMÁ CHANNEL SEPARATION SCHEME THROUGH KELLET BANK TO SOUTH EAST TSING YI ISLAND WHERE SHIPS WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO ANCHOR.
THIS HAS BEEN DECLARED BY NOTICE TO MARINERS NO. 49(T) OF 1976 UNDER REGULATION 5(1) OF THE MERCHANT SHIPPING (CONTROL OF PORTS) REGULATIONS.
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