XN000022-1992-06-24 — Page 19

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 1992

ONE SHIP CORROSION CASE IN THREE YEARS

THERE

HAS ONLY BEEN ONE REPORTED CASE OF A HONG KONG SIGNIFICANT CORROSION AND STRESS

REGISTERED SHIP SUFFERING FROM PROBLEMS IN THE PAST THREE YEARS.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, MRS ELIZABETH BOSHER, IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON HUANG CHEN-YA IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SHE SAID NO CONNECTION HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED BETWEEN THE CASE

AND THE CARGO LOADING MECHANISM AT ANY LOCAL TERMINAL.

ON THE MONITORING OF THE SEA WORTHINESS OF HONG KONG VESSELS, SHE EXPLAINED THAT A VESSEL NEEDED TO PASS AN INITIAL SURVEY BEFORE IT COULD BE REGISTERED IN HONG KONG.

THEREAFTER, THE SHIP MUST BE SURVEYED EVERY YEAR, SHE SAID.

THESE SURVEYS MAY BE CONDUCTED BY MARINE DEPARTMENT SURVEYORS OF SHIPS IN ACCORDANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL SAFETY STANDARDS OR BY AUTHORISED INTERNATIONAL CLASSIFICATION SOCIETIES.

IN THE LATTER CASE MARINE DEPARTMENT CONDUCTS AUDIT INSPECTIONS TO ENSURE STRICT COMPLIANCE WITH THE REQUIRED STANDARDS.

"IN ANY EVENT MARINE DEPARTMENT CONDUCTS A THOROUGH EACH REGISTERED VESSEL EVERY FIVE YEARS, MRS BOSHER SAID.

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SURVEY OF

SHE SAID THE DEPARTMENT WOULD BE NOTIFIED IF ANY HONG KONG REGISTERED SHIP WAS FOUND BY ANY MARITIME ADMINISTRATION THAT PRACTICES "PORT STATE CONTROL" TO BE DEFICIENT IN MEETING INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS.

THE

FOLLOWING THE LOSS OF A NUMBER OF BULK CARRIERS WORLDWIDE, INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANISATION AND THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CLASSIFICATION SOCIETIES HAVE DEVELOPED NEW SURVEY AND MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCH SHIPS.

MRS BOSHER SAID THESE STANDARDS HAD BEEN APPLIED TO REGISTERED SHIPS SINCE APRIL THIS YEAR.

HONG KONG

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L

NO VILLAGE OF SIGNIFICANT POPULATION DENIED ELECTRICITY

AS FAR AS THE GOVERNMENT RECORDS SHOW, NO VILLAGE OF ANY SIGNIFICANT POPULATION IN HONG KONG IS NOW WITHOUT AN ELECTRICITY SUPPLY.

SERVICES,

THIS WAS STATED BY THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC MRS ELIZABETH BOSHER, IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

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