XN000022-1987-01-26 — Page 2

MONDAY, JANUARY 26, 1987

CONTAINER THROUGHPUT SHOWS FURT HER INCREASE

*****

INITIAL INDICATIONS OF HONG KONG'S CONTAINER THROUGHPUT IN 1986 MAY SHOW A FURTHER INCREASE OF 16 OR 17 PER CENT, THUS MAKING HONG KONG ONE OF THE LARGEST PORTS IN THE WORLD IN TERMS OF THROUGHPUT, THE ACTING GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID TODAY (MONDAYS.

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE ASIA TERMINALS LIMITED CONTAINER FREIGHT STATION IN KWAI CHUNG, SIR DAVID POINTED OUT THAT + THE PORT IS OUR LIFELINE. IT HANDLES OVER 90 PER CENT OF OUR TRADE+.

HE SAID THAT AS TRADE INCREASED, SO WOULD THE DEMANDS MADE ON ALL ASPECTS OF THE PORT.

DESCRIBING THE NEW CARGO DISTRIBUTION AND HANDLING CENTRE AS THE LARGEST OF ITS KIND IN THE WORLD, SIR DAVID EXPLAINED THAT THE CENTRE PROVIDED A TOTAL OF SOME 150 000 SQUARE METRES OF CARGO STORAGE AREA AND PARKING SPACES FOR UP TO 850 CONTAINER VEHICLES, AND COULD HANDLE THE HEAVIEST CATEGORIES OF CONVENTIONAL CARGO.

+ IT WILL HELP REDUCE THE SHORTAGE OF BACKUP FACILITIES AND ENHANCE THE EFFICIENCY OF OUR PORT, HE ADDED.

SIR DAVID NOTED THAT THE PORT DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY STUDY COMPLETED LAST YEAR ASSESSED DEMANDS ON THE PORT TO THE END OF THE CENTURY, TOOK STOCK OF EXISTING FACILITIES AND ESTIMATED WHAT ADDITIONAL FACILITIES WOULD BE REQUIRED.

+ THE PATTERN IS CLEAR, UNLESS ADDITIONAL FACILITIES OF EVERY SORT - HARBOUR BUOYS, PUBLIC WHARVES, CONTAINER TERMINALS ARE PROVIDED, WE WILL, BY THE MID-1990'S, FACE UNACCEPTABLE CONGESTION, + HE STRESSED.

THE STUDY SUGGESTED THAT ONCE THE KWAI CHUNG CONTAINER PORT REACHED ITS MAXIMUM DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL, ADDITIONAL CONTAINER TERMINALS SHOULD BE PROVIDED BY RECLAMATION AT STONECUTTERS OR GREEN ISLAND.

NOTING THAT A RECENT ALTERNATIVE HAD BEEN SUGGESTED THAT THEY SHOULD INSTEAD BE CONSTRUCTED ON AN ENTIRELY NEW +PORT ISLAND+ NEAR LANTAU, SIR DAVID SAID ALL THESE PROPOSALS MUST BE EVALUATED BEFORE A DECISION WAS MADE.

HE SAID THAT IT WAS CERTAIN THAT HONG KONG MUST MAXIMISE AT ALL TIMES THE USE OF ITS GREATEST NATURAL ASSET - THE HARBOUR, IN ORDER TO MEET RISING DEMAND.

/+AND IN