XN000022-1976-09-25 — Page 3

2 -

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1976.

SHALLOW DRAUGHT ANTI-OIL POLLUTION CRAFT TO BE PURCHASED

*****

THE FIGHT AGAINST OIL POLLUTION IN HONG KONG WATERS HAS REACHED NEW DIMENSIONS FOLLOWING THE GREENLIGHT GIVEN BY THE GOVERNMENT TO THE MARINE DEPARTMENT TO BUY A SECOND VESSEL TO DEAL WITH THIS MENACE.

TENDERS FROM LOCAL AND OVERSEAS BUILDERS INCLUDING THOSE FROM BRITAIN AND JAPAN HAVE BEEN RECEIVED AND THEY ARE BEING PROCESSED BY THE DEPARTMENT.

THE PROCESSING OF THE TENDERS WILL TAKE ABOUT A MONTH TO COMPLETE.

ACCORDING TO THE MARINE OFFICER/POLLUTION CONTROL UNIT, MR. TONY MASON, THE AWARD OF THE CONTRACT AND THE DELIVERY OF THE VESSEL WOULD TAKE ABOUT ONE YEAR.

AT PRESENT, THE DEPARTMENT HAS A LAUNCH SPECIALLY EQUIPPED TO PERFORM ANTI-CIL POLLUTION DUTIES IN HONG KONG WATERS. IN CASES WHEN MORE VESSELS ARE REQUIRED, 20 OTHER GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES EACH OF WHICH CAN BE FITTED WITH SPRAYING BOOMS AND AGITATION DEVICES CAN BE MOBILISED.

THE GOVERNMENT, HE SAID, HAD RECENTLY APPROVED MORE THAN $440,000 FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO BUY HONG KONG'S FIRST SHALLOW DRAUGHT VESSEL DESIGNED SPECIALLY TO DEAL WITH OIL SLICKS ON BEACHES AND

IN SHALLOW WATERS.

THE APPROVAL WAS GIVEN AFTER THE SPECIAL SUB-COMMITTEE OF THE PORT EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ON OIL POLLUTION (S.C.0.0.P.) RECOMMENDED THAT THIS TYPE OF VESSEL WOULD ENABLE THE GOVERNMENT TO DEAL WITH OIL SPILLAGES IN SHALLOW WATERS BY:

*

SPRAYING DISPERSANTS ON OIL SLICKS THAT HAVE DRIFTED CLOSE INSHORE=

*

*

SPRAYING DISPERSANTS ON ROCKS AND SEAWALLS FROM SEAWARD= OPERATING A NON-TOXIC OIL SKIMMING DEVICE=

*

LANDING MEN AND EQUIPMENT ON BEACHES AND FORESHORES FROM SEAWARD=

*

LOCATING AND MARKING CIL SLICKS CLOSE INSHORE-

*

*

*

TRANSPORTING AND DEPLOYING ABSORBENTS SUCH AS POLYURETHANE FOAM AND EFFECTING ITS SUBSEQUENT RECOVERY= TRANSPORTING POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT AND

COLLECTING REFUSE FROM THE HARBOUR WHEN NOT REQUIRED FOR OIL POLLUTION CONTROL PURPOSES.

IN MAKING THE RECOMMENDATIONS, S.C.0.0.P. SAID IT RECOGNISED THAT THE SANDY BEACHES OF HONG KONG ARE VITAL AND INCREASINGLY

IMPORTANT RECREATIONAL AMENITY.

THE GAZETTED BEACHES AND THOSE TO BE OPENED IN THE FUTURE, IT NOTED, LIE ADJACENT TO ONE OF THE BUSIEST SEAPORTS IN THE WORLD, AND CATER FOR AN ESTIMATED 150,000 PEOPLE AT WEEKENDS AND ON PUBLIC HOLIDAYS DURING THE SUMMER, AND THE NUMBER IS PROBABLY

INCREASING.

/+THE GROSSLY

:

[