XN000022-1982-09-05 — Page 2

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1982

HONG KONG ABLE TO MEET DEMANDS OF MARINE-BASED ENDEAVOUR

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THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, MR DENIS BRAY, SAID TODAY (SUNDAY) THAT HONG KONG HAD THE CAPABILITY TO RESPOND VIGOROUSLY TO THE DEMANDS OF A WIDE RANGE OF MARINE-BASED ENDEAVOUR.

• IN PARTICULAR WE CAN SATISFY THE EXACTING NEW DEMANDS OF THE OFFSHORE DEVELOPMENT OF OIL RESOURCES, HE SAID.

SPEAKING AT THE LAUNCHING OF ANOTHER OFFSHORE JACK-UP OIL DRILLING PLATFORM BUILT AT THE EUROASIA SHIPYARD THIS MORNING, MR BRAY SAID SHIPBUILDING AND REPAIR HAD ALWAYS OCCUPIED AN IMPORTANT PLACE IN THE INDUSTRIAL LIFE OF HONG KONG.

THE LAUNCHING WAS PERFORMED BY LADY YOUDE, WIFE OF THE GOVERNOR.

MR BRAY SAID THAT HONG KONG CONTINUED TO DEMONSTRATE THAT

IT HAD THE CAPABILITY TO RESPOND VIGOROUSLY, THOUGH THE SHIPS AND THE SHAPES TO BE MET AT SEA HAD CHANGED, AND WERE CONSTANTLY CHANGING.

THE FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF MR BRAY'S SPEECHt

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

THE GOVERNOR IS VERY SORRY HE CANNOT BE HERE TODAY BECAUSE HE HAS JUST GONE TO LONDON. I AM SURE WE ALL WISH HIM AND THE HONG KONG PEOPLE HE HAS TAKEN WITH HIM A SUCCESSFUL WEEK OF TALKS. YOUR LOSS IS MY GAIN. I AM DELIGHTED TO BE HERE TO WITNESS THE LAUNCHING OF THE SECOND OFFSHORE JACK-UP OIL DRILLING PLATFORM TO BE BUILT IN HONG KONG THE SECOND OF THREE TO BE BUILT BY THE EUROASIA SHIPYARD FROM ORDERS PLACED IN 1981.

THE FIRST PLATFORM TO BE BUILT WAS LAUNCHED LESS THAN NINE MONTHS AFTER THE LAYING OF THE KEEL. THIS IS A LARGER AND MORE SOPHISTICATED DRILLING PLATFORM AND IT IS BEING LAUNCHED LESS THAN 11 MONTHS AFTER THE KEEL WAS LAID.

THESE ARE REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENTS BY ALL CONCERNED. BOTH THE MANAGEMENT AND WORK FORCE OF THE EUROASIA SHIPYARD MAY JUSTLY BE PROUD OF THEM. THEY SHOW THE SPEED WITH WHICH YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DEVELOP YOUR SKILLS AND IMPROVE UPON PAST PERFORMANCE, FOR THIS INDUSTRY IS SPECIALLY SUBJECT TO NEW AND CHANGING TECHNOLOGY AND VERY HIGH STANDARDS ARE DEMANDED.

SHIPBUILDING AND REPAIR HAS ALWAYS OCCUPIED AN IMPORTANT PLACE IN THE INDUSTRIAL LIFE OF HONG KONG. THOUGH THE SHIPS AND THE SHAPES TO BE MET AT SEA HAVE CHANGED, AND ARE CONSTANTLY CHANGING, HONG KONG CONTINUES TO DEMONSTRATE THAT IT HAS THE CAPABILITY TO RESPOND VIGOROUSLY TO THE DEMANDS OF A WIDE RANGE OF MARINE-BASED ENDEAVOUR. IN PARTICULAR WE CAN SATISFY THE EXACTING NEW DEMANDS OF THE OFFSHORE DEVELOPMENT OF OIL RESOURCES.

/I AM SURE