SUNDAY, AUGUST 29, 1976
ON NORMAL DAYS, THE SHELTERS ARE PATROLLED BY MARINE LAUNCHES. VESSELS FOUND OBSTRUCTING THE FAIRWAYS ARE SERVED WITH NOTICES OF REMOVAL AND IF THEY ARE NOT COMPLIED WITH, NOTICES OF PROSECUTION FOR OBSTRUCTION OFFENCES WILL THEN BE SERVED TO CRAFT OWNERS CONCERNED.
THE SPOKESMAN ALSO POINTED OUT THAT TYPHOON SHELTERS DO NOT ONLY PROVIDE SAFE ANCHORAGE FOR BOATS SEEKING REFUGE FROM STORMS. THEY ALSO OFFER HARBOURAGE FOR SOME 2,000 UNLICENSED DWELLING BOATS WHICH ARE BASED IN VARIOUS SHELTERS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND ON WHICH PEOPLE LIVE AT ALL TIMES.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT FOR THE PAST YEARS, THE MARINE DEPARTMENT HAD SHOWN GREAT CONCERN AT THE CROWDED CONDITIONS IN EXISTING TYPHOON SHELTERS. +SUCH CONDITIONS COULD LEAD TO A SERIOUS BREAKDOWN IN CONTROL AND POSE A THREAT IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY ESPECIALLY DURING A STORM,+
THE SHORTAGE OF SPACE IN TYPHOON SHELTERS IS MAINLY BROUGHT ABOUT BY RECLAMATIONS, AND THE INCREASE IN SIZE OF CARGO LIGHTERS, FISHING VESSELS AND OTHER CRAFT REQUIRING SHELTER, THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED.
TO MEET THE DEMAND FOR MORE SHELTERS, THE PORT'S ADVISORY COMMITTEES RECOMMENDED THAT A NEW TYPHOON SHELTER BE BUILT IN THE SOUTH-WEST APPROACHES UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE PORT WORKS DIVISION OF THE P.W.D. TENDERS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS NEW SHELTER AT CHEUNG CHAU ARE EXPECTED TO BE INVITED NEXT MONTH AND WORK IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN NOVEMBER THIS YEAR. THE NEW SCHEME COSTING SOME $23 MILLION, WILL PROVIDE SHELTERED AREA OF 115 ACRES, WHICH IS IN LINE WITH THE TYPHOON SHELTER REQUIREMENTS BEYOND 1976 AS ASSESSED IN THE DEPARTMENT'S 1974 TYPHOON SHELTER REVIEW,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
THE WORK WILL CONSIST OF CONSTRUCTING TWO BREAKWATERS, WITH A TOTAL LENGTH OF ABOUT 3,000 FEET. IT IS EXPECTED TO BE READY FOR USE BY 1979.
TWO MORE SHELTERS ARE ALSO PLANNED AT TUEN MUN AND CHAI WAN. THE FIRST IS PART OF THE NEW TOWN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME FOR TUEN MUN. WHEN COMPLETED IN 1980, IT WILL PROVIDE SOME 100 ACRES OF SHELTER FOR LOCAL LICENSED CRAFT. IN THE MEANTIME, A TEMPORARY TYPHOON SHELTER OF ABOUT 24 ACRES IS BEING BUILT TO MEET THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF BOATS IN THE VICINITY. THE SECOND SHELTER AT CHAI WAN WILL PROVIDE ANOTHER 28 ACRES OF SHELTER IN ABOUT FOUR YEARS' TIME. THIS SHELTER HOWEVER IS DESIGNATED AS A PUBLIC CARGO WORKING BASIN.
THE DEPARTMENT IS ALSO CONSIDERING OTHER SITES AT PENG CHAU, SAI KUNG HOI, CHEK KENG AND SHA TAU KOK FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF MORE TYPHOON SHELTERS FOR FUTURE USE.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE SITING OF A TYPHOON SHELTER IS INFLUENCED BY SEVERAL FACTORS, INCLUDING EASY ACCESS FOR CRAFT OPERATING IN THE AREA, WIND VELOCITY, WAVE ACTION, PROTECTION AGAINST STRONG WINDS BY EITHER NATURAL BARRIERS OR TALL BUILDINGS AND THE DEPTH OF WATER OF THE SITE CHOSEN. CONSIDERATION MUST ALSO BE GIVEN TO THE PROBLEM OF POLLUTION AND RECLAMATION PROGRAMMES WHICH ARE SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE IN THE AREA.
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