XN000022-1993-04-08 — Page 14

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THURSDAY, APRIL 8, 1993

'NOWHERE IN THE WORLD DOES IT QUITE LIKE THIS. NOWHERE IN THE WORLD DOES IT QUITE SO SUCCESSFULLY."

MR MILLER NOTED THAT THE WAY THE PORT OF HONG KONG OPERATED REFLECTED HONG KONG'S TRADITIONAL PREFERENCE FOR RESTRICTING THE GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION TO ESSENTIALS.

"UNLIKE PORT AUTHORITIES ELSEWHERE, WE DO NOT OPERATE MANY FACILITIES OURSELVES."

INSTEAD 90 PER CENT OF CARGO HANDLING FACILITIES ARE PRIVATELY FINANCED, BUILT AND OPERATED.

THIS TRADITION OF MINIMUM PUBLIC SECTOR INVESTMENT, AND MAXIMUM PRIVATE INVESTMENT HAS ENABLED HONG KONG ΤΟ EXPAND PORT FACILITIES VERY RAPIDLY IN RESPONSE ΤΟ THE ECONOMIC REVOLUTION IN SOUTHERN CHINA, AND TO BECOME THE WORLD'S LARGEST CONTAINER PORT.

MR MILLER WENT ON TO SAY THAT RELIANCE ON PRIVATE SECTOR CARGO HANDLING HAS LEFT THE GOVERNMENT FREE ΤΟ CONCENTRATE ON STRATEGIC PLANNING AND ON THE ESSENTIAL BUREAUCRATIC INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIRED FOR THE SAFE OPERATION OF THE PORT.

AS REGARDS THE LATTER, HONG KONG LED THE WORLD IN MANY AREAS.

"WE HAVE IN HONG KONG, A

TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.

*

STATE-OF-THE-ART

VERY FEW PORTS HAVE THIS SYSTEM.

ELECTRONIC

VESSEL

HONG KONG IS WORKING WITH THESE FEW IN DEVELOPING THE SYSTEMS AND THE OPERATING PROCEDURES THAT GO WITH THEM.

HONG

SIMILARLY, IN THE AREA OF HIGH SPEED CRAFT OPERATION, KONG HAS MORE EXPERIENCE THAN ANY OTHER ADMINISTRATION AND IS PLAYING A LEADING ROLE IN THE IMO IN WRITING THE RULES FOR THE DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF THIS SORT OF CRAFT.

COMMENTING ON THE HUGE DEVELOPMENT WORKS CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS, MR MILLER SAID SOME CONFLICT BETWEEN THE DEMAND FOR MORE AND HIGHER QUALITY RESIDENTIAL ACCOMMODATION AND LEISURE FACILITIES AND THE ESTABLISHED NEEDS OF THE SHIPPING INDUSTRY WAS NATURAL, PARTICULARLY IN HONG KONG'S HIGHLY CONCENTRATED URBAN SETTING.

THEY COULD, HOWEVER, BE RESOLVED BY CAREFUL PLANNING AND MUTUAL ACCOMMODATION.

"THE MARINE DEPARTMENT IS ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN PLANNING THE LOGISTICS OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS, ENSURING THAT ESSENTIAL SHORE-LINE FACILITIES ARE KEPT RUNNING PRIOR TO REPROVISIONING.

"IT MAY SEEM TO SOME THAT WE ARE SIMPLY FILLING IN THE HARBOUR. IN FACT WHAT YOU ARE SEEING IS A PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT TOWARDS THE WEST, AS THE URBAN SHORE-LINE ENCROACHES ON THE TRADITIONAL PORT

T

AREA, HE SAID.

/RE SAID

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