XN000022-1985-05-29 — Page 21

WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 1985

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STANDARDS, AVAILABILITY OF QUALIFIED PILOTS MOST IMPORTANT

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THE SUCCESS OF COMPULSORY PILOTAGE HINGED ON TWO IMPORTANT FACTORS - THE STANDARDS AND THE AVAILABILITY OF SUFFICIENT QUALIFIED PILOTS TO CARRY OUT THE JOB, THE HON S.L. CHEN SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING IN THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE PILOTAGE (AMENDMENT) BILL 1985, WHICH IS DESIGNED TO INTRODUCE COMPULSORY PILOTAGE TO THE PORT OF HONG KONG, MR CHEN SAID WHILE HE WOULD READILY JOIN THE MARITIME COMMUNITY IN RENDERING HIS SUPPORT TO THE PRINCIPLES AND SPIRIT OF THE BILL HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT ITS SMOOTH

IMPLEMENTATION.

+THE SAFETY OF OUR PORT TRAFFIC IS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE.

+THEREFORE, THE PRESENT HIGH STANDARDS OF THE PILOTS WORKING WITHIN HONG KONG WATERS MUST BE MAINTAINED AND SHOULD NOT BE

IMPAIRED AS A RESULT OF DEMANDS GENERATED FROM COMPULSORY PILOTAGE, HE SAID.

+TO ACHIEVE THESE AIMS, THE TRAINING AND QUALIFICATIONS OF PILOTS SHOULD NOT IN ANY WAY BE COMPROMISED, MR CHEN SAID.

HE POINTED OUT THAT ON AVERAGE, SHIPS WORKING CARGO AT HARBOUR MOORINGS WERE IN PORT FOR TWO-AND-A-HALF TO THREE DAYS AND CONTAINER SHIPS AT THE KWAI CHUNG TERMINALS REMAINED FOR ABOUT 13 HOURS AND THESE WERE PROBABLY THE FASTEST TURN-ROUND TIMES FOR SHIPS AT ANY PORT IN THE FAR EAST,

+1 AM SURE MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL WOULD BE AS ANXIOUS AS I AM TO SEE THAT THE TURN-ROUND TIMES OF VESSELS COVERED BY COMPULSORY PILOTAGE WILL NOT BE UNDULY DELAYED BECAUSE OF AN

INSUFFICIENT SUPPLY OF QUALIFIED PILOTS.

+THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD ENSURE THAT AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF QUALIFIED PILOTS WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE IN THE COURSE OF PHASING IN THIS COMPULSORY REQUIREMENT, HE SAID.

MR CHEN ADDED THAT ALTHOUGH AT THE MOMENT SOME 95 PER CENT OF OCEAN-GOING VESSELS OVER 10 000 GROSS REGISTERED TONNAGE (GRT) ENTERING OR LEAVING HONG KONG HARBOUR USED THE SERVICES OF PILOTS, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF COMPULSORY PILOTAGE WOULD EXTEND THE COVERAGE TO A MUCH WIDER SCOPE AND INCLUDE, EVENTUALLY, SHIPS OF MUCH SMALLER SIZE.

/HE SUGGESTED