TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 1994
10
VOLUNTARY REPORTING OF NEAR MISS MARINE INCIDENTS ON TRIAL
IN
THE MARINE DEPARTMENT HAS LAUNCHED A ONE-YEAR TRIAL ON A SYSTEM
INFORMATION ON TO COLLECT
AN NEAR MISS INCIDENTS
ΤΟ ATTEMPT
OF IDENTIFY THE TRAFFIC BLACK SPOTS IN HONG KONG WATERS, THE DIRECTOR MARINE, MR ALLAN PYRKE, ANNOUNCED TODAY (TUESDAY),
MAKE
STARTING FROM TODAY ANY PERSON WHO HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN, OR HAS BETWEEN TWO WITNESSED WHAT HE CONSIDERS TO BE A NEAR MISS SITUATION VESSELS CAN
REPORT TO USE OF THE TRIAL SYSTEM TO MAKE A
THE
MARINE DEPARTMENT.
"ANALYSIS OF
THE
TO US THE AREAS
THE INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL ENABLE
AND TYPE OF VESSELS CAUSING SUCH INCIDENTS IDENTIFY WHERE THEY OCCURRED," MR PYRKE SAID.
"IT
POSSIBLE FOR THE DEPARTMENT
TO PLAN
THE
BE MAY THEN IMPLEMENTATION OF SAFETY MEASURES TO REDUCE THE RISKS BEFORE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT OCCURS, HE SAID.
1+
UNDER HONG KONG LAW, REPORTING OF MARINE ACCIDENTS
BUT THERE IS NO SIMILAR REQUIREMENT FOR
ARE THE NEAR MISS
MANDATORY INCIDENTS.
THE INCREASED MARINE ACTIVITY WITHIN HONG KONG WATERS HAS
INCREASED ACCIDENTS SIGNIFICANTLY
RISKS. LAST YEAR. THE MARINE RECEIVED
IN A TOTAL OF 378 MARINE ACCIDENT REPORTS DEPARTMENT KONG WATERS WHICH IS A 30 PER CENT INCREASE OVER 1992 FIGURES.
HONG
SUCH
PUBLIC THE
"ALTHOUGH ABOUT 70 PER CENT OF THESE ACCIDENTS WERE MINOR AS BUMPING OF SMALL VESSELS AT ANCHORAGES, TYPHOON SHELTERS OR PIERS, UNFORTUNATELY EIGHT PERSONS DIED AND ANOTHER 47 INJURED IN MORE SERIOUS ONES, MR PYRKE SAID.
I
IS
"BY WORLD'S STANDARD, OUR CASUALTY FIGURES ARE LOW, BUT THERE MARINE ROOM FOR COMPLACENCY," MR PYRKE SAID, ADDING THAT NO DEPARTMENT WILL USE EVERY POSSIBLE MEANS TO REDUCE ACCIDENT RISKS.
THE
"INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM THE REPORTING SYSTEM WILL NOT BE
IN USED
THE FOR PROSECUTION PURPOSES UNLESS THE REPORTEE INDICATES
MR FORM OR THROUGH OTHER MEANS THAT HE WISHES TO TAKE IT
FURTHER,"
PYRKE SAID.
NECESSARY INFORMATION
FOR THE ANALYSIS INCLUDE THE TYPES OF VESSELS INVOLVED, THEIR COURSES
THE AND SPEED,
LOCATION OF THE INCIDENT, THE CLOSEST DISTANCE BETWEEN THE TWO VESSELS AND WHAT ACTION WAS TAKEN TO AVOID COLLISION.
то FACILITATE THE REPORTING OF SUCH INCIDENTS, THE MARINE DEPARTMENT HAS DESIGNED A USER-FRIENDLY FORM FOR PEOPLE TO REPORT SUCH INCIDENTS.
**THE REPORTEES ARE ONLY REQUIRED TO TICK THE APPROPRIATE ANSWERS IN THE BOXES PROVIDED AND MARK THE LOCATION OF THE INCIDENT ON A MAP INCORPORATED IN THE FORM.
/"I ANTICIPATE