TUESDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1978
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SCHEME TO PROVIDE MORE NAVIGATIONAL AIDS
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THE MARINE DEPARTMENT HAS EMBARKED ON A $1 MILLION SCHEME TO IMPROVE NAVIGATION AIDS TO CRAFT USING THE NORTHEASTERN PART OF HONG KONG WATERS.
THE SCHEME IS DESIGNED TO PINPOINT NAVIGATIONAL HAZARDS AND TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO FISHERMEN, PLEASURE CRAFT AND SAND BARGE OPERATORS WHO FREQUENTLY USE THIS STRETCH OF WATER.
IT INVOLVES THE INSTALLATION OF SEVEN ADDITIONAL LIGHT BEACONS IN THE SAI KUNG AND MIRS BAY AREA.
THE SUPERINTENDENT OF LIGHTS, MR. JAMES DEAKIN OF THE MARINE DEPARTMENT'S NAVIGATIONAL AIDS SECTION, SAID THE BEACONS, WHICH HAVE RANGES FROM TWO TO FIVE MILES, WOULD BE INSTALLED AT CHEUNG PAI TAU, WONG MA CHAU, FU TAU PUN CHAU, WAVE ROCK, MA CHAI PAI, FAN TSANG CHAU AND FAT TAU MUN.
MR. DEAKIN SAID THESE EXTRA AIDS WERE NEEDED BECAUSE OF THE SPECIAL GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES OF THE AREA. THE SUBMERGED ROCKS AND SHALLOW SEABED COULD POSE A HAZARD TO NAVIGATION, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT AND IN TIMES OF LOW VISIBILITY.
+THE SCHEME WHEN COMPLETED IN EARLY 1980 WILL GREATLY IMPROVE THE SITUATION, HE SAID.
MEANWHILE, THE SUPER-STRUCTURE FOR A LARGE LIGHT BEACON ON THE NINEPIN ISLANDS IS NEAR COMPLETION.
THE INSTALLATION OF THE LIGHTING EQUIPMENT WILL START SOON AND THE LIGHT IS EXPECTED TO BE OPERATIONAL NEXT MONTH. THE BEACON WILL HAVE A RANGE OF 11 MILES AND WILL PROVIDE BETTER NAVIGATIONAL GUIDANCE TO BOTH LOCAL CRAFT AND OCEAN-GOING VESSELS.
AT PRESENT, THE MARINE DEPARTMENT IS OPERATING MORE THAN 250 NAVIGATIONAL AIDS WITHIN HONG KONG WATERS WHICH IS NEARLY DOUBLE THE 142 AIDS THE DEPARTMENT OPERATED IN 1971.
THESE COMPRISE, IN ADDITION TO MANNED LIGHTHOUSES, MAINLY BATTERY-OPERATED LIGHT BUOYS, LIGHT BEACONS, RADIO CONTROLLED FOG SIGNAL, RADIO BEACONS AND RADAR TRANSPONDER.
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