XN000022-1992-10-14 — Page 30

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1992

MR MILLER SAID: "THIS INFORMAL MEETING OF THE WORKING GROUP ON HIGH-SPEED CRAFT IS THE FIRST SUCH IMO MEETING TO BE HELD IN HONG KONG. WE ARE PROUD TO PLAY HOST TO SUCH A DISTINGUISHED GROUP OF EXPERTS. WE WELCOME YOU ALL TO HONG KONG AND LOOK FORWARD ΤΟ SHOWING YOU SOMETHING OF THE TERRITORY AND PORT OPERATIONS.

"

THE INFORMAL MEETING OF THE WORKING GROUP ON REVISION OF THE DSC CODE IS PART OF A SERIES OF TECHNICAL MEETINGS IMO.

CONVENED BY THE

OVERSEAS DELEGATES MACAU, NORWAY AND ALL THE COMPANIES

THE MEETING IS BEING ATTENDED BY 25 REPRESENTING AUSTRALIA, CHINA, JAPAN, LIBERIA, SWEDEN. IT IS ALSO ATTENDED BY REPRESENTATIVES OF CURRENTLY OPERATING HIGH-SPEED CRAFT IN THE DELTA REGION.

THE PRINCIPAL OBJECTIVE OF THIS INFORMAL MEETING IS TO FINALISE THE SAFETY STANDARDS RELATING TO THE FIRE PROTECTION ASPECTS OF THE CODE.

MEMBERS WILL ALSO PAY A VISIT ΤΟ CHINA AND MACAU AND WILL WITNESS A JOINT SEARCH AND RESCUE EXERCISE BY PARTICIPANTS FROM CHINA, MACAU AND HONG KONG INVOLVING RESCUE FROM A HIGH-SPEED VESSEL IN THE PEARL RIVER DELTA.

SHIPOWNERS ASSOCIATION MEMBERS VISIT MARITIME RESCUE CO-ORDINATION CENTRE

* * * * *

++

ELEVEN MEMBERS OF THE HONG KONG SHIPOWNERS ASSOCIATION THIS (WEDNESDAY) AFTERNOON HAD A FIRST-HAND LOOK AT THE "STATE-OF-THE-ART' GLOBAL MARITIME DISTRESS AND SAFETY SYSTEM (GMD55) OF THE MARINE DEPARTMENT.

THEY WERE BRIEFED BY THE DIRECTOR OF MARINE, MR TONY MILLER.

HEADED BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HONG KONG SHIPOWNERS ASSOCIATION, MR PETER COWLING, THE GROUP VISITED THE MARINE DEPARTMENT'S MARITIME RESCUE CO-ORDINATION CENTRE WHICH IS MANNED 24 HOURS A DAY SPECIALLY TRAINED MARINE OFFICERS.

BY

MR MILLER TOLD THE LOCAL SHIPOWNERS THAT THE MARINE DEPARTMENT IS THE MARITIME SEARCH AND RESCUE CO-ORDINATOR FOR ABOUT 400,000 SQUARE MILES OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA NORTH OF LATITUDE 10 DEGREES NORTH AND WEST OF 120 DEGREES EAST, EXCLUDING THE IMMEDIATE COASTAL WATER OF NEIGHBOURING STATES.

"HONG KONG HAS DEVELOPED AN EXCELLENT REPUTATION IN THE FIELD OF MARITIME SEARCH AND RESCUE AND EARLIER THIS YEAR HAS COMPLETED THE FINAL STAGES IN IMPLEMENTING THE GMESS WHICH IS PART OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON THE SAFETY OF LIFE AT SEA.

/"WE WERE

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