XN000022-1975-02-15 — Page 5

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1975

+THE FLEET DID A MAGNIFICENT JOB TO HELP TRANSPORT FRESH WATER FROM OCEAN-GOING VESSELS IN THE 1963 DROUGHT, TO HELP FIGHT THE SEAWISE UNIVERSITY FIRE IN 1972 AND IN VARIOUS OIL POLLUTION SITUATIONS+, MR. KHIN RECALLED.

BESIDES THIS, THE DOCKYARD WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE NAVIGATIONAL AIDS SECTION TO ENSURE THAT ALL BUOYS, BEACONS AND OTHER NAVIGATIONAL AIDS WITHIN HONG KONG WATERS ARE IN GOOD WORKING CONDITION.

MR. KHIN SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT DOCKYARD HAD COME

A LONG WAY FROM ITS RATHER PRIMITIVE ORIGIN IN 1914 WHEN A SLIPWAY AND A RANGE OF WOODEN SHEDS WERE DUILT AT THE CANTON ROAD WATERFRONT INSIDE THE YAUMATI TYPHOON SHELTER TO LOOK AFTER A FLEET OF 35 COAL-BURNING VESSELS.

THOUGH IMPROVEMENTS WERE MADE, OVERCROWDING BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE RAPID EXPANSION OF THE GOVERNMENT FLEET WAS INEVITABLE.

IN THE EARLY 1960'S, A TENTATIVE PLAN TO BUILD A NEW DOCKYARD ON THE WATERFRONT OF THE EXISTING CANTON ROAD CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES WAS DRAWN UP.

THE PLAN BECAME A REALITY IN SEPTEMBER 1971 WHEN THE EXISTING GOVERNMENT DOCKYARD SWUNG INTO OPERATION.

BUT THERE

IT IS MORE SPACIOUS AND BETTER EQUIPPED. IS A NEED FOR FURTHER EXPANSION AS THE SIZE OF THE GOVERNMENT FLEET HAS DOUBLED OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS.

COMMENTING ON FUTURE PLANS, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE MARINE DEPARTMENT SAID: WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF STREAMLINING THE +AT THE SAME STAFF STRUCTURE OF THE GOVERNMENT DOCKYARD+. TIME+, HE ADDED, THE GOVERNMENT HAS EARMARKED A PIECE OF LAND ADJOINING THE DOCKYARD FOR BUILDING TWO MORE SLIPWAYS CAPABLE OF HANDLING EVEN BIGGER VESSELS.+

NOTE TO EDITORS:

COPIES OF A PHOTOGRAPH SHOWING A LAUNCH BEING REPAIRED AT THE DOCKYARD WILL BE BOXED FOR COLLECTION.

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