XN000022-1984-07-04 — Page 3

WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 1984

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PORT EXPANSION WORK CONTINUING DAVY

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PLANS ARE IN TRAIN FOR HONG KONG TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND ITS PORT AND OTHER FACILITIES TO SATISFY DEMANDS BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF THE CENTURY, THE DIRECTOR OF MARINE, MR PERCY DAVY, SAID TODAY.

SPEAKING TO THE INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED SHIPBROKERS AT LUNCH TODAY, MR DAVY SAID:

+ THE PORT'S FACILITIES CONTINUE TO EXPAND, AND THE PORT IS CURRENTLY UNDERGOING EXPANSION AND IS LIKELY TO CONTINUE TO DO SO FOR SOME TIME TO COME.

+ACTION ON THE DRAFTING OF NEW LEGISLATION FOR SHIPS, SEAMEN AND THE PORT AND ITS SERVICES IS ALSO BEING ACTIVELY PURSUED.

+STUDIES ARE UNDERWAY TO DEVELOP A STRATEGY WHICH WILL BE GEARED TO THE LIKELY DEMAND, AND, IF THE ADMINISTRATION SO DECIDES, THE PORT FACILITIES WILL CONTINUE TO SATISFY THE FUTURE DEMANDS, BOTH IN QUANTITY AND QUALITY.

+ACTION IS ALSO IN HAND TO RETAIN HONG KONG'S STATUS AS A PORT OF BRITISH REGISTRY WHICH IN EVERY WAY WILL EQUATE TO THE UNITED KINGDOM REGISTRY, AND PROGRESS IS BEING MADE TOWARDS ENSURING A SUFFICIENT SUPPLY OF QUALIFIED OFFICERS AND SEAMEN,+ MR DAVY SAID.

MEANWHILE, MR DAVY SAID, THE GOVERNMENT HAD DECIDED TO UNDERTAKE A +PORT DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY STUDY+, WHICH WOULD COMPLETED BY AUGUST NEXT YEAR.

SUCH A STUDY, HE SAID, WOULD ASSESS THE OPTIMUM EFFICIENT OPERATIONAL CAPACITIES OF THE EXISTING PORT FACILITIES, AND IDENTIFY THE LONG-TERM GROWTH TRENDS IN CARGO IMPORTS AND EXPORTS, AS WELL AS TRAFFIC AND PASSENGER TRADE.

STRESSING THE NEED FOR SUCH A PORT DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY PLAN+, MR DAVY SAID SUCH A PLAN IS FEASIBLE BECAUSE BY A CAREFUL ANALYSIS BEING GIVEN TO ALL THE DATA COLLECTED, IT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE TO PROJECT, WITH A GOOD CHANCE OF BEING ACCURATE, THE DEMAND, UP TO THE END OF THIS CENTURY, OF THE PORT FACILITIES NEEDED.

+ THE SHORTFALLS IN THE PRESENT AND CURRENTLY PLANNED FACILITIES COULD THEN BE IDENTIFIED AND OPTIONS DETERMINED ON WAYS AND MEANS OF ELIMINATING ALL OR ANY OF THOSE SHORTFALLS.+

THE STUDY, HE SAID, WOULD HAVE NO EFFECT ON THE MEDIUM TERM PROGRAMME OF EXPANSION UP TO 1989 CONCERNING THE KWA! CHUNG CONTAINER TERMINAL.

+ IT WILL. HOWEVER. CONSIDER THE NEEDS OF THE CONTAINER TRADE AS WELL AS THE OTHERS MENTIONED UP TO THE YEAR 2001, HE SAID.

/MR DAVY