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SUNDAY, AUGUST 9, 1987
TENDERS TO BE INVITED SOON FOR TERMINAL 7
A NINE PER CENT GROWTH RATE HAS BEEN ALLOWED FOR IN THE PLANNING OF THE CONTAINER PORT'S SEVENTH TERMINAL, TENDERS FOR WHICH ARE TO BE INVITED IN A FEW WEEKS.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THIS RATE OF EXPANSION HAD BEEN ADOPTED IN FEBRUARY BY THE CONTAINER PORT COMMITTEE, WHICH REGULARLY REVIEWS THE GROWTH RATE.
"THIS FIGURE WAS CHOSEN BECAUSE NINE PER CENT REPRESENTS THE TREND ESTABLISHED OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
"
HE POINTED OUT, HOWEVER, THAT THE ACTUAL GROWTH RATE AT KWAI CHUNG HAD BEEN 15 PER CENT IN 1986 AND WAS EXPECTED TO BE EVEN HIGHER THIS YEAR. BUT A "UNIFORM GROWTH RATE" OF NINE PER CENT MUST BE ASSUMED AS LAST YEAR'S SHARP GROWTH MIGHT ONLY HAVE REFLECTED A SUDDEN UPSURGE IN ECONOMIC ACTIVITY.
"IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT ADEQUATE PORT FACILITIES BE PROVIDED
MAINTAINED HONG KONG'S TRADING POSITION IS TO BE
AND ENHANCED,
SAID.
IF HE
HE ADDED THAT PLANNING DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW TERMINAL WAS "ACTIVELY IN PROGRESS"
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ON THE BASIS OF A NINE PER CENT GROWTH RATE, AND TO COPR WITH THE GROWTH OF THE CONTAINER TRADE, THE FIRST BERTH OF CONTAINER TERMINAL 7 WOULD BE REQUIRED BY 1991 AND THE SECOND AND THIRD BERTHS WOULD HAVE TO BE COMPLETED IN 1992 AND 1993.
HE SAID CONTAINER TERMINAL 7 WOULD BE LOCATED SOUTH OF THE EXISTING TERMINAL 6, AND COVERED AN AREA OF 31.5 HECTARES.
THE LAND WOULD BE FORMED BY RECLAMATION.
AN AREA ADJACENT TO TERMINAL 7 HAD ALSO BEEN DESIGNATED FOR CONTAINER TRADE-RELATED BACK-UP ACTIVITIES.
24, FOLLOWING
THE AREA FOR THE RECLAMATION AND DREDGING WORKS WAS FIRST GAZETTED IN FEBRUARY THIS YEAR AND RE-GAZETTED ON JULY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL'S AUTHORISATION.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATIONAL RIGHTS FOR CONTAINER TERMINAL 7 WOULD BE DISPOSED OF BY OPEN TENDER.
IT WAS EXPECTED THAT TENDERS WOULD BE INVITED AROUND SEPTEMBER WITH A VIEW TO AWARDING THE TENDER IN APRIL NEXT YEAR.
HE SAID KEEN OVERSEAS INTEREST IN BUILDING AND OPERATING TERMINAL WAS WIDELY EXPECTED.
THE
HE SAID