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Plans to mitigate marine risks in reclamation projects
The Government had assessed the marine risks involved in reclamation projects at the early planning stage and had incorporated plans to mitigate the risks if there were such a need, the Director of Marine, Mr Ian Dale, said today (Tuesday).
"These plans have been, and will continue to be phased in as reclamation proceeds," Mr Dale said, adding that he was satisfied that with these plans in place levels of marine risk would continue to be acceptable.
He believed recent comments in the media which linked reclamations to unacceptable marine risks stemmed from misunderstanding or uninformed views.
"The theory that more vessels and less water equals increased risks is true only if no corrective action is taken," Mr Dale said.
From a strictly marine traffic planning and safety view point, he said, calls to stop reclamations would be counter-productive in the longer term.
Contrary to common belief that the marine risk levels in the harbour will increase because of reclamation, Mr Dale pointed out that reclamation projects in Victoria Harbour would eventually help to improve overall marine traffic management.
"The final lines of reclamations in the central part of Victoria Harbour will create a properly defined and safe east-west channel for forecast traffic, providing specific zones for crossing traffic and reducing haphazard movements," he said.
Marine Department's longer term traffic management plans were made on that basis, Mr Dale added.
"Let us not turn the clock back by heeding calls for a moratorium on these necessary projects," he said.
He also corrected the apparent widely held opinion that the Comprehensive Study on Marine Activities, Associated Risk Assessment and Development of a Strategy for the Optimum Usage of Hong Kong Waters (MARAD Study) was to be carried out in acknowledgment of current marine risk levels in the harbour.
The MARAD Study concept began as two separate studies, strategic water planning and risk throughout territorial waters, which were later sensibly combined into one consultancy.