SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1977
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MORE SAFETY BEACONS TO AID NAVIGATION
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THE MARINE DEPARTMENT IS PLANNING TO INSTALL SEVEN MORE LIGHT BEACONS IN HONG KONG WATERS TO AID NAVIGATION OF FISHING VESSELS.
THE PLAN, YET TO BE APPROVED BY THE DIRECTOR OF MARINE, INCLUDES THE INSTALLATION OF LIGHT BEACONS ON ROCKS AND LANDSCAPES ALONG IMPORTANT ROUTES OFF SAI KUNG, SHA TAU KOK AND IN MIRS BAY.
MR. LEUNG PAK-CHUEN, SUPERINTENDENT OF THE DEPARTMENT'S NAVIGATIONAL AIDS SECTION, SAID THE REQUEST TO IMPROVE NAVIGATIONAL AIDS IN THESE AREAS WAS FIRST MADE BY FISHERMEN WHO FREQUENTLY USED THESE ROUTES.
+THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTIES AND HAZARDS IN THESE AREAS WHERE SUBMERGED ROCKS AND SHALLOW SEABEDS ARE MAJOR FEATURES. THE SITUATION IS MORE SERIOUS AT NIGHT OR WHEN THE HARBOUR IS SHROUDED IN MIST,+ MR. LEUNG SAID,
HE POINTED OUT THAT DESPITE THE DANGERS, FISHERMEN STILL USE THESE SHORT-CUTS TO AND BACK FROM FISHING GROUNDS,
HE SAID THAT OFFICERS OF THE MARINE DEPARTMENT HAD CONSULTED WITH THE FISHERMEN IN ORDER TO GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR PROBLEMS.
AN INSPECTION OF THE AREAS COMPLETED LAST MONTH EXTABLISHED THAT THERE WAS THE NECESSITY TO USE EXTRA BEACONS TO GUIDE NAVIGATION, MR. LEUNG SAID,
THE PLAN PROPOSES THAT IN THE SEA OFF SAI KUNG, THREE +TERN WINKERS+ OF A 1-1/2-MILE LIGHT INTENSITY BE INSTALLED ON MAVE ROCK SOUTH OF FU TAU PUN CHAU, ON THE NORTH OF MA CHAI PAI AND AT FAT TONG MUN. TWO SOLAR ENERGY LIGHTS OF THREE-MILE INTENSITY WILL BE FIXED ON THE NORTHERN TIP OF FU TAU PUN CHAU AND FANG TSANG MUN BETWEEN SAI KUNG MAINLAND AND FAN TSANG CHAU. A +TERN WINKER+ AND A FIVE-MILE LIGHT INTENSITY GAS BEACON WILL BE FIXED ON CHEUNG PAI TAU IN SHA TAU KOK AND WONG MA CHAU IN MIRS BAY.
MEANWHILE, THE DEPARTMENT HAS ORDERED TWO DOUBLE FILAMENT LIGHTS AND ONE SET EACH OF SIGNAL GENERATOR, DIGITAL MULTIMETER AND TRANSITOR TEST SET TO REINFORCE THE SECTION'S EXISTING NAVIGATIONAL MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT, MR. LEUNG SAID.
HE EXPLAINED THAT THE DOUBLE FILAMENT LIGHTS HAVE THE EXTRA FUNCTION OF AUTOMATICALLY TURNING ON THE SECOND FILAMENT WHEN THE FIRST ONE IS BURNED OUT. THE SIGNAL GENERATOR, DIGITAL MULTIMETER AND TRANSITOR TEST SET ARE ADVANCED EQUIPMENT FOR TESTING ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS OF LIGHTS.
HE ADDED THAT THE SECTION'S BATTERY CHARGING ROOM AND ACETYLENE GAS ROOM HAVE BEEN EXPANDED RECENTLY FOR THE RECHARGING OF THE INCREASED NUMBER OF BATTERIES USED IN LIGHTHOUSES AND FOR THE STORAGE OF ADDITIONAL GAS CYLINDERS.
+WE EXPECT THAT MORE AND MORE LIGHTS AND SOPHISTICATED NAVIGATIONAL AID EQUIPMENT WOULD BE USED IN FUTURE IN ORDER TO COPE WITH THE INCREASINGLY DUSY TRAFFIC IN THE HARBOUR, + MR. LEUNG SAID.
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