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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1992
MR WILLIAM O'NEIL VISITS MARINE DEPARTMENT
MARITIME
FIRST-
THE
SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION (IMO), MR WILLIAM O'NEIL, TODAY (MONDAY) HAD A HAND LOOK AT THE POLICIES, PLANS AND ACTIVITIES OF THE MARINE DEPARTMENT.
HE WAS MET BY THE DIRECTOR OF MARINE, MR TONY MILLER.
MR MILLER TOLD MR O'NEIL THAT HONG KONG WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PORTS IN THE WORLD TO HANDLE MORE THAN SIX MILLION TEUS (20-FOOT EQUIVALENT UNITS) OF CONTAINERISED CARGO A YEAR AND SOME 130,000 OCEAN-GOING AND RIVER-TRADE VESSELS CALLED AT HONG KONG ANNUALLY AND LOADED AND DISCHARGED MORE THAN 100 MILLION TONNES OF CARGO.
"TO MEET ANTICIPATED GROWTH, PLANNING IS WELL IN HAND FOR MAJOR PORT DEVELOPMENT WHICH WILL MORE THAN DOUBLE CARGO HANDLING CAPACITY BY 2006.
ON
"THE PRINCIPAL FEATURES ARE TO DEVELOP CONTAINER TERMINALS TOGETHER WITH OTHER MARINE FACILITIES ON TSING CHAU TSAI PENINSULA LANTAU ISLAND OVER THE NEXT DECADE, MR MILLER SAID.
THE MARINE DEPARTMENT IS COMMITTED TO PORT STATE CONTROL AND AIMS AT THE INSPECTION OF FIVE PER CENT OF OCEAN-GOING SHIPS WHICH VISITED HONG KONG ANNUALLY.
MORE THAN 1,050 OCEAN-GOING SHIPS VISITING THE PORT OF HONG KONG ANNUALLY WERE SUBJECT TO PORT STATE CONTROL INSPECTION TO CHECK COMPLIANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL CONVERSATIONS, NAMELY THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION FOR THE SAFETY OF LIFE AT SEA, THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON STANDARDS OF TRAINING, CERTIFICATION AND WATCHKEEPING FOR SEAFARERS AND THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION FOR THE PREVENTION OF POLLUTION FROM SHIPS.
OF THESE, 10 PER CENT REQUIRED DEFICIENCIES TO BE MADE GOOD BEFORE THE SHIP COULD SAIL FROM HONG KONG.
MR O'NEIL WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE HONG KONG WHICH CAME INTO OPERATION UNDER LOCAL LEGISLATION REFLECTS THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT HIGHEST INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS OF MARITIME SAFETY.
SHIPPING REGISTER, IN DECEMBER 1990, ΤΟ MAINTAIN THE
ADMINISTERED BY THE MARINE DEPARTMENT, THE HONG KONG REGISTER NOW HAS A TOTAL FLEET AMOUNTING ΤΟ 7.2 MILLION GROSS REGISTERED TONNAGE COMPARED WITH 6.4 MILLION GROSS REGISTERED TONNAGE IN DECEMBER 1990.
MR O'NEIL, IN TURN, BRIEFED MR
MILLER ON ITEMS ON THE IMO
AGENDA.
PORTS 2000
MR O'NEIL IS THE PRINCIPAL SPEAKER AT THE CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN HONG KONG FROM TOMORROW (TUESDAY) TO THURSDAY (NOVEMBER 5). HE WILL FLY TO JAPAN ON THURSDAY.
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