MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 1980
3
NEW WAY TO STORE OIL UNDER STUDY
***
THE GOVERNMENT IS INVESTIGATING PLANS FOR INCREASING THE SECURITY OF FUEL OIL SUPPLIES FOR HONG KONG BY EMPLOYING MARINE STORAGE.
INSTEAD OF RELYING EXCLUSIVELY ON LAND STORAGE THE PLANS CALL FOR 200 000 TONS OF FUEL OIL TO BE STORED ABOARD ONE OR TWO TANKERS, POSSIBLY MOORED IN HONG KONG WATERS, AS AN INTERIM MEASURE UNTIL LAND STORAGE FACILITIES NOW BEING BUILT ARE COMPLETED.
THOUGH BY NO MEANS UNIQUE - JAPAN, FOR EXAMPLE, ALREADY USES ABOUT 20 LARGE TANKERS (VLCC'S) FOR THIS PURPOSE THE SOLUTION WOULD BE A +FIRST FOR LAND-SHORT HONG KONG.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT WHILE THERE WAS NO IMMEDIATE THREAT TO THE SUPPLY SITUATION AND THERE WAS NO CAUSE FOR UNDUE CONCERN, IT WAS CONSIDERED +PRUDENT TO ACT NOW IN CASE THE SITUATION WORSENED.
THE PLANS NOW BEING CONSIDERED WOULD INVOLVE CHARTERING TANKERS, PURCHASING THE FUEL OIL AND STORING IT ON THE TANKERS WHICH WOULD EITHER BE MOORED IN AN AREA OF SUFFICIENTLY DEEP WATER IN HONG KONG, OR WOULD STEAM SLOWLY AROUND THE SOUTH CHINA SEA BEFORE THE OIL IS ULTIMATELY SOLD TO THE POWER COMPANIES.
THE SCHEME IS BEING INVESTIGATED BY OWENSBORD ENTERPRISES LTD, A NEWLY FORMED COMPANY IN WHICH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAS 96 PER CENT OF THE SHARES, WITH THE BALANCE BEING HELD BY CHINA LIGHT AND POWER CO. LTD., ESSO (HK) LTD., HONG KONG ELECTRIC CO. LTD. AND SHELL DEVELOPMENT (HK) LTD.
A FINAL DECISION TO GO AHEAD WILL DEPEND ON THE DETAILED COSTINGS, WHICH HAVE YET TO BE WORKED OUT.
PRELIMINARY REPORT ON TUEN MUN INDUSTRIAL SURVEY
*****
A PRELIMINARY REPORT ON AN INDUSTRIAL SURVEY OF TUEN MUN NEW TOWN IS TO BE PUBLISHED NEXT MONTH.
STAFF OF THE LOCAL DISTRICT OFFICE ARE NOW COMPILING THE REPORT FROM INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY FACTORY OPERATORS.
A DISTRICT OFFICE SPOKESMAN SAID ABOUT 85 PER CENT OF THE 201 QUESTIONNAIRES SENT TO FACTORIES IN JUNE HAD BEEN RETURNED.
OPERATORS ALSO GAVE INTERVIEWS TO UNIVERSITY STUDENTS TO PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
THE
+WE ARE PLEASED WITH THE SUPPORT THE OPERATORS HAVE GIVEN, SPOKESMAN SAID. THE IR CO-OPERATION WAS ESSENTIAL IF THE SURVEY IS TO EE AS SUCCESSFUL AS THE ONE CARRIED OUT TWO YEARS AGO.+
/A FINAL