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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14, 1990
NEW VESSEL TO TACKLE FLOATING REFUSE BEING TESTED
*
A NEW VESSEL IS BEING TESTED BY THE MARINE DEPARTMENT SUITABILITY IN COLLECTING FLOATING REFUSE IN HONG KONG WATERS.
TRIALS ON THE VESSEL, "DISFLOATER NO.
YEAR AND WILL CONTINUE UNTIL JUNE THIS YEAR.
1",
FOR ITS
STARTED LATE LAST
IN HONG KONG THE DISFLOATER IS A TWIN-HULLED CATAMARAN BUILT TO A JAPANESE DESIGN, WHICH HAS PROVED EFFECTIVE IN JAPANESE HARBOURS.
A REFUSE IS COLLECTED BY CHANNELLING IT BETWEEN THE HULLS INTO
END IS USED TO INDUCE SUBMERGED CONTAINER. A ROTOR AT THE FORWARD
THE CONTAINER WHEN
IS SUCTION TO FACILITATE THE COLLECTION. LIFTED AND EMPTIED.
FULL
IN
COLLECTING AND FUEL
BESIDES ASSESSING THE VESSEL'S SUITABILITY FLOATING REFUSE, ITS MANOEUVRABILITY, SEA KEEPING BEHAVIOUR AND MAINTENANCE COSTS WILL ALSO BE MONITORED DURING THE TRIALS.
ΤΟ
A DECISION ON WHETHER OR NOT TO PURCHASE THE VESSEL HAS YET BE MADE, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE MARINE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
"THE PROBLEM OF FLOATING REFUSE HAS ALWAYS BEEN OF THE GOVERNMENT AS WELL AS TO THE PUBLIC.
CONCERN TO
WATERS "THE AMOUNT OF FLOATING REFUSE COLLECTED FROM HONG KONG
3,631 TONNES IN IN RECENT YEARS HAS SHOWN A MARKED INCREASE: FROM 1986 TO 4,876 TONNES IN 1989,
"I
HE SAID.
FLEET HAS
11
"SINCE THE EARLY 1960'S, A MARINE REFUSE SCAVENGING
COLLECT FLOATING REFUSE, BEEN EMPLOYED BY THE MARINE DEPARTMENT TO HE ADDED.
ARE
FOR COLLECTING
THE FLEET COMPRISES SIX "WATERWITCHES" AND A "HARBOUR SWEEPER",
WHICH
VESSELS ALL OF FLOATING REFUSE.
PURPOSE-BUILT
DESIGNED
THE DEPARTMENT
REGULARLY ASSESSES
IN THE
OTHER TYPES
WORLD WITH
OF
FLOATING
A VIEW
REFUSE COLLECTION VESSELS AVAILABLE DETERMINING WHETHER THEY ARE SUITABLE FOR OPERATING IN HONG KONG,
TO
"THE OPPORTUNITY