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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1986
THE STUDY, ACCORDING TO A MARINE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN, PROPOSED TWO BASIC OPTIONS FOR THE PROVISION OF SUCH FACILITIES - RECLAMATION AT STONECUTTERS ISLAND AND CREATION OF A PORT ISLAND AT KELLETT BANK.
OF THE TWO, STONECUTTERS HAD THE BENEFIT OF BEING LESS COST- INTENSIVE AND ALSO HAVING THE FLEXIBILITY TO EXTEND THE TERMINALS INCREMENTALLY AS DEMAND DICTATED, WHILE PORT ISLAND WOULD REQUIRË EXCEPTIONALLY HEAVY EXPENDITURE AND DID NOT HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY OF MEETING ANY CHANGE IN DEMAND, HE SAID.
THE STONECUTTERS OPTION WOULD ALSO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FACILITIES FOR THE EXCHANGE OF LOCAL AND TRANSHIPMENT CARGO BETWEEN LOCAL CRAFT, CONVENTIONAL CARGO VESSELS AND CONTAINER VESSELS.
+THE CONSOLIDATION OF ALL THESE CARGO ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE ONE AREA WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE MAXIMUM UTILISATION OF THE CENTRAL HARBOUR AREA THEREBY KEEPING CARGO-HANDLING COSTS TO A MINIMUM TO THE ULTIMATE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, WHICH WILL ALSO ENABLE HONG KONG TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE WITH ITS NEIGHBOURING PORTS AS WELL AS MAINTAINING ITS EFFICIENCY AS A MAJOR WORLD PORT, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
THE STUDY ALSO IDENTIFIED THAT EXISTING AND PLANNED PROVISION OF HARBOUR MOORINGS SHOULD BE ABLE TO MEET DEMAND UP TO ABOUT 1992 AFTER WHICH SHORTAGES WOULD BEGIN TO BECOME APPARENT.
IT RECOMMENDED THAT A SYSTEM OF FORE-AND-AFT MOORINGS BE INTRODUCED WITH A VIEW TO OPTIMISING THE UTILISATION OF WATER AREAS IN THE CENTRAL HARBOUR AS A STRATEGY FOR PROVIDING NEW FACILITIES FOR CONVENTIONAL CARGO VESSELS, AND FOR REPROVISIONING HARBOUR MOORINGS DISPLACED BY OTHER STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE INTRODUCTION OF DOUBLE MOORINGS FOR OCEAN-GOING VESSELS WAS A UNIQUE CONCEPT FOR A MAJOR NATURAL HARBOUR OF THE SIZE OF HONG KONG.
+FORE-AND-AFT MOORINGS ARE MAINLY USED IN PORTS WHERE SPACE IS ALREADY AT A PREMIUM OR IN RIVERS AND ARTIFICIAL (MAN-MADE) PORTS. AS HONG KONG IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO TROPICAL STORMS, ALTERNATIVE ARRANGEMENTS FOR TYPHOON MOORINGS WILL BE MAINTAINED, + HE ADDED.
IT IS THE FIRST TIME THAT SUCH A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY HAD BEEN CARRIED OUT IN HONG KONG,
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