XN000022-1986-11-15 — Page 2

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1986

FIRST-CLASS PORT FACILITIES MAINTAINED

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STEPS HAVE BEEN TAKEN AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE TAKEN TO ENSURE THAT HONG KONG HAS FIRST-CLASS PORT FACILITIES, THE ACTING CHIEF SECRETARY, MR PIERS JACOBS, SAID THIS (SATURDAY) MORNING,

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE EXPOSHIP FAR EAST '86 INTERNATIONAL MARITIME EXHIBITION, MR JACOBS SAID THAT THE PORT OF HONG KONG CONTINUED TO MEET THE DEMANDS PLACED ON IT.

+WE SEE AN INCREASING NUMBER OF SHIPS USING THE PORT, MORE CARGO HANDLED, AND, SURPRISINGLY, A GREATER PASSENGER THROUGHPUT,+ HE SAID.

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+CARGOES WERE UP 12-1/2 PER CENT IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THIS YEAR A TREND LIKELY TO BE MAINTAINED AND THE NUMBER OF OCEAN-GOING VESSELS CALLING AT HONG KONG INCREASED BY 5 PER CENT DURING THE SAME PERIOD. PASSENGER TRAFFIC IN 1985 WAS UP 9 PER CENT OVER 1984, + HE SAID.

MR JACOBS POINTED OUT THAT THE PRESENT PLANNING TOOK US BEYOND THE YEAR 2000 AND WOULD BE REGULARLY UPDATED TO MEET OUR NEEDS. +HONG KONG'S PORT HAS A BRIGHT FUTURE,+ HE SAID.

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TURNING TO THE SHIPPING INDUSTRY, MR JACOBS SAID HONG KONG OCCUPIED A PROMINENT POSITION AS A CENTRE FOR SHIPOWNING AND WAS A SIGNIFICANT PORT OF REGISTRY FOR SHIPS.

+THE PRINCIPLES ON WHICH THE FUTURE REGISTER WILL OPERATE HAVE BEEN AGREED BY THE GOVERNMENTS OF BRITAIN AND CHINA AND WE ARE NOW WORKING TO CONVERT THESE PRINCIPLES INTO DETAILED WORKING PROCEDURES.+

HE ADDED THAT IT WAS THE GOVERNMENT'S FIRM INTENTION THAT THE NEW HONG KONG REGISTER WOULD RETAIN THE EXISTING HIGH STANDARDS IN RELATION TO MANNING AND OPERATION.

→WITH THE EMERGENCE OF HONG KONG AS A CENTRE FOR SHIPOWNING, HONG KONG'S SHIPPING-RELATED INDUSTRIES HAVE ALSO GROWN, HE NOTED.

+WE SEE MORE INVOLVEMENT IN SHIPPING BY THOSE ENGAGED IN FINANCE, INSURANCE, BANKING AND SO ON. ALSO, HONG KONG RANKS AS A LEADING SHIP MANAGEMENT CENTRE FOR THE FAR EAST, AND INDEED IN THE WORLD.+

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