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Locally Licensed Ferries
(
(a)
(ii)
(b)
(c)
The provisions for fire appliances on board licensed ferry vessels are prescribed under the Merchant Shipping (Fire Appliances) Regulation, Cap. 369 which came into operation in 1969. It stipulates that fire pumps, fire mains, hydrants, hoses, nozzles and fire extinguishers shall be provided on board ships. Moreover, for certain types of passenger vessels, such as triple deckers, catamarans, etc., engine rooms are required to be provided with fixed fire extinguishing installations.
Before a new vessel is licensed, Marine Department will carry out a survey to ensure that the vessel complies with the relevant safety requirements including those relating to fire prevention facilities. Thereafter, the vessel will be thoroughly inspected annually for the renewal of licence. Moreover, patrol officers of the Marine Department will conduct random spot checks on ferry vessels. Prosecution will be instigated if deficiencies are found. So far no prosecution action has been taken on these ferries for contravention of the requirements.
Safety standards of local vessels are at present being reviewed in consultation with the industry. The review of regulations relating to fire appliances is scheduled to commence in the second half of this year.
Hong Kong registered passenger craft on the Hong Kong/China and Hong Kong/Macau routes
(a)
Currently, there are two conventional passenger ships plying on these routes and the other vessels on these routes are high speed craft of light construction, which are also termed as dynamically supported craft (DSC).
The requirements for fire prevention facilities on these passenger craft are governed by the Safety of Life at Sea (IMO) Convention which has been implemented in Hong Kong by :
(i)
(ii)
Merchant Shipping (Safety) (Fire Protection) (Ships Built Before 25 May 1980) Regulations 1991;
Merchant Shipping (Safety) (Fire Appliances) (Ships Built On or After 25 May 1980 but Before I September 1984) Regulations 1991: