XN000022-1984-05-08 — Page 2

TUESDAY, MAY 8, 1984

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LONG-TERM STRATEGY TO MAINTAIN HK'S PRE-EMINENCE

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GROWTH TRENDS OVER RECENT YEARS INDICATE THAT SEA CARGO TRAFFIC THROUGH THE PORT OF HONG KONG COULD DOUBLE BY THE END OF THE CENTURY, KEEPING IT IN THE FOREFRONT OF WORLD-CLASS PORTS.

THIS WOULD MEAN THAT BY THE YEAR 2000, HONG KONG COULD BE HANDLING BETWEEN 3.5 AND FOUR MILLION TEU'S (20-FOOT EQUIVALENT UNITS) OF CONTAINER CARGO AND 25 MILLION TONNES OF CONVENTIONAL CARGO, ABOUT TWICE THEIR PRESENT ANNUAL VOLUME, MR BERNARD TANG, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF MARINE SAID.

MR TANG IS NOW HEADING A TEAM OF GOVERNMENT SPECIALISTS TO LOOK INTO THE NEED FOR MORE PORT FACILITIES AND THE IR SUPPORTING INFRASTRUCTURE FROM NOW TO THE YEAR 2001.

THE PORT DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY STUDY+, AS THE PROJECT IS CALLED, IS THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE EVER UNDERTAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT. IN THE PAST, INDIVIDUAL STUDIES WERE MADE ONLY FOR SPECIFIC PORT FACILITIES.

+THERE HAS BEEN SOME MISCONCEPTION RECENTLY THAT THE STUDY WOULD DELAY OR HINDER THE EXPANSION OF THE KWAI CHUNG CONTAINER TERMINALS ALREADY AGREED BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

+THE TWO ARE ENTIRELY SEPARATE ISSUES THE PHASED EXPANSION PROGRAMME STRETCHING TO 1989 TO MEET MEDIUM-TERM REQUIREMENTS IS BEING IMPLEMENTED ACCORDING TO THE SCHEDULE ALREADY AGREED WITH THE INDUSTRY, WHEREAS THE STUDY WILL LOOK AT THE OTHER LONG-TERM NEEDS OF THE PORT. TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION EXISTING AND CURRENTLY PROJECTED FACILITIES, MR TANG POINTED OUT.

HE CONCEDED THAT THE SHEER AND THE LARGE NUMBER OF FACTORS TASK.

MAGNITUDE OF THE PORT ACTIVITIES INVOLVED MAKE THE STUDY A FORMIDABLE

THE STUDY, SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETED WITHIN 14 MONTHS, WILL EXAMINE GROWTH POTENTIALS OF HONG KONG'S MAJOR EXPORT AND IMPORT COMMODITIES, THE OPTIMUM SITES FOR ADDITIONAL CONTAINER TERMINALS, AS WELL AS THE NEEDS FOR MORE CARGO HANDLING AREAS AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF TYPHOON SHELTERS FOR THE MYRIAD LIGHTERS AND CARGO VESSELS.

+THE LIST DOES NOT END THERE, WE MUST ALSO ANALYSE OUR MARKET DIVERSIFICATION TRENDS.

+FOR INSTANCE, THERE MAY BE A NEED FOR MORE CONVENTIONAL CARGO HANDLING FACILITIES IF DEVELOPMENT IN THE NEW MARKETS FOR OUR TRADE SO DICTATES,+ HE SAID.

+THE STUDY IS TIMED TO COINCIDE WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY, MR TANG ADDED.

/IN CARRYING

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