CO129-592-9 Future Policy in Hong Kong- Port Administration 13-1-1945 - 4-3-1946 — Page 122

ANNEX TO C.S.A. (43) 26.

PRINCIPLES FOR THE OPERATION AND CONTROL OF CAPTURED

OR LIBERATED PORTS UNDER BRITISH CONTROL.

122

The following instructions are intended to provide all Departments (Service and Civil) and Supreme and/or Force Commanders .th the basic principles which have been approved as a guide when the arrangements for a captured or liberated port are being organised: -

1.

POLICY.

For the smooth working of a port it is essential that all authorities should work together as a team. The following instructions and definitions of duties have, therefore, been issued in order to assist all concerned to understand the organisation. These instruc- tions are complementary to and do not supersede the orders and instructions contained in various Naval, Military and Air Force publications.

2.

This paper aims at the establishment of an organisation suitable for putting into force immediately on occupation, but having regard to changes and developments which may subsequently be required. It is to be understood that immediately after a port is captured or liberated, its primary funétion will be the establishment and maintenance of an Expeditionary Force on the Continent or elsewhere. It is visualised that at a later date the port will be used both for the maintenance of an Expeditionary Force and for handling civil exports and imports (including relief cargo).

ORGANISATION

The organisation has been considered under three sets of conditions which are defined in Paras.4 to 6 below as Phases A.B. and C.

3.

4. Phase A.

ΤΟ

The normal civil organisation of ports may have ceased, either wholly or partly to exist, and initially the operation of the port will almost certainly have to be effected under Service arrangements. control the operation of the port during this phase, a Port Executive Committee will be set up under Navy or Army Chairmanship as decided by the Force Commanders. The Senior Movements and Transportation Officer will be designated the Port Commander: he will be responsible to the Base Sub-Area Commander for the efficient operation of the port, in accordance, as regards port working, with the decisions of the Port Executive Committee, direct to Force H.. on technical questions of dock operations, and he may also refer direct to Force H. G. on questions regarding the use of shipping allotted for service cargoes.

5.

Phase B.

As soon as military considerations permit, the actual operation of the port will, as far as possible, be handed over to the local civil authorities. The control will, however, remain under the general direction of the Port Executive Committee. The transition from Phase A to Phase B will inevitably be gradual and how and when it will be undertaken will be decided by the Force Commanders.

6.

Phase C.

•

In

When the military or political considerations do not require the port to be under the control of the Service authorities for example, in the event of the port no longer being on the military lines of communication it may be handed over entirely to civil control. this Phase, it may well be found desirable that in matters of general policy the civil port authority should continue to act under the direction of a reconstituted Fort Executive Committee on which the Service authorities would be represented as necessary. The decision as to how and when the transition from Phase B to Phase C should take

/place..