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COMPULSORY PILOTAGE FOR SHIPS OF 1,000-5,000 GRT'S DEFERRED

* * * *

THE GOVERNMENT HAS ACCEPTED THE ADVICE OF THE PILOTAGE PILOTAGE ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO DEFER THE IMPLEMENTATION OF COMPULSORY FOR SHIPS BETWEEN 1,000 AND 5,000 GROSS REGISTERED TONS (GRT'S) PENDING FURTHER REVIEW OF THE NEED FOR THIS MEASURE.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN TODAY (WEDNESDAY) SAID THE NEED FOR

CATEGORY OF COMPLUSORY PILOTAGE FOR THIS

SHIPS WOULD BE REVIEWED BEFORE THE END OF NEXT YEAR.

"THE ADVICE OF THE PILOTAGE ADVISORY

TWO MAIN FACTORS," THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

COMMITTEE WAS BASED ON

"FIRSTLY, UNPILOTED SHIPS BETWEEN 1,000 AND 5,000 GRT'S HAD A VERY GOOD SAFETY RECORD DURING THE LAST FIVE YEARS SAMLL PROPORTION OF VESSEL MOVEMENTS

IN HONG

TONNAGE RANGE (ONLY 3.6 PER CENT LAST YEAR).

HAVE

AND A

VERY

KONG FALL INTO

THIS

WATERS

"MOST OF THESE SHIPS ARE ENGAGED IN THE COASTAL AND RIVER TRADE AND THEIR CREWS ARE SUFFICIENTLY FAMILIAR WITH HONG KONG AND PORT REGULATIONS.

"SECONDLY, THE INTRODUCTION OF THE COMPUTER-AND-RADAR-BASED VESSEL TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEM BY THE MARINE DEPARTMENT IN SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR WILL ENHANCE THE SAFETY AND OPERATION OF THE PORT.

BY

STAGE NEXT

SYSTEM "PARTICIPATION IN THE NEW VESSEL TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT

EARLY AT THIS VESSEL OWNERS, AGENTS AND MASTERS IS VOLUNTARY AND MANDATORY PARTICIPATION IS EXPECTED BY THE SECOND QUARTER OF YEAR."

Tr

BY THE THE SPOKESMAN SAID

END OF NEXT YEAR IT WOULD BE RISKS JUSTIFIED POSSIBLE TO ASSESS MORE CLEARLY WHETHER THE RESIDUAL COMPULSORY PILOTAGE FOR THIS CATEGORY OF SHIPS.

WOULD

BR

THAT IN 1985 IT WAS ANNOUNCED

COMPULSORY PILOTAGE IMPLEMENTED IN THREE PHASES TO COVER ALL SHIPS OVER 1,000 GRT'S.

I

OVER

THE FIRST PHASE OF COMPULSORY PILOTAGE FOR ALL SHIPS

1. 1987 10,000 GRT'S WAS IMPLEMENTED ON AUGUST 1, 1985 AND ON AUGUST THE SECOND PHASE OF COMPULSORY PILOTAGE FOR ALL SHIPS OVER 5,000 GRT'S WAS IMPLEMENTED.

IN THE LIGHT OF EXPERIENCE GAINED, THE PILOTAGE ADVISORY

THIRD COMMITTEE HAS ADVISED THAT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE

PHASE OF COMPULSORY PILOTAGE FOR SHIPS BETWEEN 1,000 AND

GRT'S, ORGINALLY ENVISAGED TO TAKE PLACE LAST YEAR, SHOULD BE DEFERRED.

5,000

THE PILOTAGE ADVISORY COMMITTEE COMPRISES MASTER MARINERS, LICENSED PILOTS AND REPRESENTATIVES

THE SHIPPING, DOCKYARD AND CONTAINER HANDLING INDUSTRIES.

OF

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