XN000022-1976-05-12 — Page 3

WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 1976

+ INEVITABLY, OUR METHODS OF HANDLING CARGO AT THE AIRPORT HAVE HAD TO CHANGE AS WELL. WHEN THE FIRST AIR CARGO BUILDING WAS OPENED IN 1963, EACH AIRLINE AND AIR CARGO AGENCY OCCUPIED A SEPARATE AREA AND ALL FREIGHT WAS DEALT WITH BY MANUAL METHODS. THE BUILDING WAS ADAPTED, PATCHED AND EXPANDED SEVERAL TIMES, UNTIL IT REACHED ITS MAXIMUM POSSIBLE SIZE IN 1971, WHEN ITS CAPACITY WAS ABOUT 70,000 TONS A YEAR, A TOTAL WHICH WAS EXCEEDED IN 1972, FURTHER SPACE, SOME OF IT UNSATISFACTORY AND SUFFERING FROM THE USUAL DEFECTS OF UNPLANNED EXPANSION, HAD TO BE FOUND IN OTHER PARTS OF THE AIRPORT.

+AS LONG AGO AS 1966 THE CIVIL AVIATION DEPARTMENT ESTABLISHED A COMMITTEE TO STUDY OUR FUTURE CARGO HANDLING REQUIREMENTS. THIS COMMITTEE CONCLUDED THAT THE EXISTING TERMINAL WOULD BE INADEQUATE BY THE MID 1970S AND RECOMMENDED A +CONSOLIDATED+ TERMINAL, WHICH WOULD ENSURE A MORE ECONOMICAL USE OF THE SCARCE LAND AVAILABLE AND SHOULD REDUCE OPERATING COSTS.

+A CONSORTIUM WAS ESTABLISHED, COMPOSED OF SWIRE, JARDINE, KOWLOON WHARF, WHAMPOA AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT. THIS CONSORTIUM CREATED THE HONG KONG AIR CARGO TERMINALS LIMITED, TO PLAN, CONSTRUCT AND OPERATE THE TERMINAL. BUILDING BEGAN IN OCTOBER 1974 AND BY THE END OF 1975 THE IMPRESSIVE STRUCTURE WHICH WE SEE TODAY HAD BEEN COMPLETED AND THE MECHANICAL HANDLING SYSTEMS INSTALLED, IN PARALLEL, THE GOVERNMENT PROVIDED THE NECESSARY EXTRA AIRCRAFT AND VEHICLE PARKING BAYS, TAXIWAYS' AND ROADWAYS AND AN OFFICE BLOCK TO HOUSE THOSE ENGAGED IN THE AIR CARGO BUSINESS.

+DANGEROUS THOUGH IT HAS OFTEN PROVED TO PREDICT THE GROWTH OF AIR TRAFFIC, WE NEVERTHELESS BELIEVE THAT THIS TERMINAL WILL BE ABLE TO HANDLE ALL AIR CARGO UNTIL ABOUT 1985. THEREAFTER, THE PRESENT FACILITIES WILL HAVE TO BE EXPANDED AND LAND HAS BEEN RESERVED FOR THIS TO BE DONE, TO MEET OUR NEEDS IN THE LATE 1980S AND THE 1990S.

+WE ALREADY POSSESS ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST MODERN AND EFFICIENT SHIPPING CONTAINER PORTS AT KWAI CHUNG. THIS BUILDING ADDS TO OUR TRANSPORT SYSTEM A SUPERB COMPLEX FOR THE HANDLING OF AIR FREIGHT. THIS IS FURTHER EVIDENCE, IF ANY BE NEEDED, OF THE IMPORTANCE WHICH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND THE GOVERNMENT ATTACH TO THE SPEEDY, SECURE AND RELIABLE DESPATCH AND RECEIPT OF FREIGHT. IT IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE WAY IN WHICH THE GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE ENTERPRISE CAN COMBINE IN A JOINT VENTURE WHICH IS IN THE INTERESTS OF BOTH OF THEM, IN A MANNER WHICH ASSURES THE SUPPORT OF THE GOVERNMENT. BUT LEAVES THE ADMINISTRATION OF IT IN THE HANDS OF THOSE WHO KNOW BEST HOW TO RUN A PRODUCTIVE BUSINESS.

+ IN CONCLUSION, MAY I OFFER MY CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS PROJECT TO THE PLANNERS, THE ARCHITECTS, THE CONTRACTORS AND THE WORKERS. THEY ALL HAVE GOOD CAUSE TO BE PROUD OF THE FRUITS OF THEIR LABOURS.

+MR. BLUCK, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN I WISH THIS COMPANY, AND ALL WHO WORK HERE, ABUNDANT SUCCESS IN THE FUTURE, AND HAVE PLEASURE IN DECLARING THIS TERMINAL OPEN.+

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