MORE POWER, SPEED AND EFFICIENCY PLANNED FOR GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES *****
THE MARINE DEPARTMENT PLANS TO BUILD AT LEAST EIGHT NEW LAUNCHES IN THIS FINANCIAL YEAR TO MODERNISE AND EXPAND THE GOVERNMENT'S FLEET OF VESSELS.
IT IS COMMITTED TO SPENDING $11,670,000 ON SIX NEW REPLACEMENT LAUNCHES AND TWO ADDITIONAL ONES, BRINGING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CRAFT UNDER ITS MAINTENANCE CARE TO 183.
MR. P.J. WU, SENIOR MARINE OFFICER OF THE GOVERNMENT DOCKYARD, ESTIMATED THAT THE MAJORITY OF GOVERNMENT VESSELS ARE BETWEEN FIVE AND 20 YEARS OLD, ABOUT 10 PER CENT ARE LESS THAN FIVE YEARS OLD AND A FEW OVER 30 YEARS OLD.
IT IS THE CHIEF FUNCTION OF THE GOVERNMENT DOCKYARD TO MAINTAIN THE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY OF THE FLEET OF MECHANISED AND NON-MECHANISED VESSELS. MANY OF THE OLDER CRAFT HAVE LOST THE IR USEFULNESS BECAUSE OF THE DEMAND FOR SPEED, POWER AND EFFICIENCY TO MEET MODERN AND CONSTANTLY CHANGING REQUIREMENTS.
ONE OF THE EXAMPLES OF CHANGING NEEDS IS THE MARINE POLICE LAUNCHES, ABOUT ONE IN FOUR OF ITS LAUNCHES IS PRE-WAR BUILT. THESE OLDER LAUNCHES ARE CHARACTERISED BY THEIR WOODEN HULLS AND THE LACK OF SHIP-BOARD FACILITIES, MAKING THEM INCONVENIENT FOR ROUND-THE-CLOCK PATROL DUTIES AT SEA, MR. WU EXPLAINED.
A PROTOTYPE HARBOUR LAUNCH, DESIGNED BY THE MARINE DEPARTMENT, WILL MAKE UP FOR THESE DEFICIENCIES AND WILL BE BUILT WHEN FUNDS ARE APPROVED. IT WILL INCORPORATE SUCH FACILITIES AS LIVING ACCOMMODATION AND A KITCHEN WHICH ARE NON-EXISTENT IN MOST POLICE LAUNCHES IN USE.
FIRE BOAT NO. 3 COMMISSIONED TO THE ABERDEEN FIRE STATION IN 1951 ALSO OUTLIVED ITS FUNCTIONS IN THAT FAST CHANGING FISHING VILLAGE. THE NEED TO RETIRE THE BOAT, WHICH IS TOO SMALL AND ILL- EQUIPPED, HAS BEEN BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE PRESENCE OF A BIG OIL DEPOT, THE HONG KONG ELECTRIC POWER STATION, THE DEVELOPMENT OF ABERDEEN AND AP LI CHAU AND INCREASED POPULATION.
IN KWAI CHUNG AND TSING YI, A NEW DEMAND IS DICTATED BY THE ES ISTENCE OF THE CONTAINER PORT NOW SERVED BY SOME OF THE LARGEST AND MOST SOPHISTICATED SHIPS AFLOAT AND THE INDUSTRIAL ISATION OF TSING YI. AS A RESULT A $6 MILLION FIRE BOAT ESPECIALLY DESIGNED TO MEET ANY FIRE CONTINGENCY WILL BE BUILT ONCE FUNDS ARE MADE AVAILABLE.
MR. WU EXPLAINED THAT ORDINARY FIRE BOATS ARE LESS EFFECTIVE IN FIGHTING A FIRE AT A TERMINAL BECAUSE OF THE STACKING OF CONTAINERS UP TO A FEW STOREYS HIGH AND THE VERY HIGH FREE BOARD OF
THIRD GENERATION CONTAINERSHIPS.
ANOTHER REQUIREMENT IS AN ANTI-OIL POLLUTION LAUNCH FOR USE IN SHALLOW WATERS. AS CONVENTIONAL CRAFTS CANNOT WORK IN SHALLOW WATERS IN THE EVENT OF AN OIL SLICK APPROACHING A BEACH, THE GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED TO SPEND ABOUT $500,000 TO BUILD A SHALLOW DRAUGHT ANTI-POLLUTION BOAT TO DEAL WITH THIS MENACE.
MR. WU SAID, HOWEVER, THAT IT WILL TAKE A COUPLE OF YEARS BEFORE THE NEW BOATS COULD BE PUT INTO SERVICE BECAUSE OF TENDER PROCEDURES AND THE TIME TAKEN TO DC THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION WORK.