XN000022-1994-03-08 — Page 11

TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 1994

10

VOLUNTARY REPORTING OF NEAR MISS MARINE INCIDENTS ON TRIAL

IN

THE MARINE DEPARTMENT HAS LAUNCHED A ONE-YEAR TRIAL ON A SYSTEM

INFORMATION ON TO COLLECT

AN NEAR MISS INCIDENTS

ΤΟ ATTEMPT

OF IDENTIFY THE TRAFFIC BLACK SPOTS IN HONG KONG WATERS, THE DIRECTOR MARINE, MR ALLAN PYRKE, ANNOUNCED TODAY (TUESDAY),

MAKE

STARTING FROM TODAY ANY PERSON WHO HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN, OR HAS BETWEEN TWO WITNESSED WHAT HE CONSIDERS TO BE A NEAR MISS SITUATION VESSELS CAN

REPORT TO USE OF THE TRIAL SYSTEM TO MAKE A

THE

MARINE DEPARTMENT.

"ANALYSIS OF

THE

TO US THE AREAS

THE INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL ENABLE

AND TYPE OF VESSELS CAUSING SUCH INCIDENTS IDENTIFY WHERE THEY OCCURRED," MR PYRKE SAID.

"IT

POSSIBLE FOR THE DEPARTMENT

TO PLAN

THE

BE MAY THEN IMPLEMENTATION OF SAFETY MEASURES TO REDUCE THE RISKS BEFORE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT OCCURS, HE SAID.

1+

UNDER HONG KONG LAW, REPORTING OF MARINE ACCIDENTS

BUT THERE IS NO SIMILAR REQUIREMENT FOR

ARE THE NEAR MISS

MANDATORY INCIDENTS.

THE INCREASED MARINE ACTIVITY WITHIN HONG KONG WATERS HAS

INCREASED ACCIDENTS SIGNIFICANTLY

RISKS. LAST YEAR. THE MARINE RECEIVED

IN A TOTAL OF 378 MARINE ACCIDENT REPORTS DEPARTMENT KONG WATERS WHICH IS A 30 PER CENT INCREASE OVER 1992 FIGURES.

HONG

SUCH

PUBLIC THE

"ALTHOUGH ABOUT 70 PER CENT OF THESE ACCIDENTS WERE MINOR AS BUMPING OF SMALL VESSELS AT ANCHORAGES, TYPHOON SHELTERS OR PIERS, UNFORTUNATELY EIGHT PERSONS DIED AND ANOTHER 47 INJURED IN MORE SERIOUS ONES, MR PYRKE SAID.

I

IS

"BY WORLD'S STANDARD, OUR CASUALTY FIGURES ARE LOW, BUT THERE MARINE ROOM FOR COMPLACENCY," MR PYRKE SAID, ADDING THAT NO DEPARTMENT WILL USE EVERY POSSIBLE MEANS TO REDUCE ACCIDENT RISKS.

THE

"INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM THE REPORTING SYSTEM WILL NOT BE

IN USED

THE FOR PROSECUTION PURPOSES UNLESS THE REPORTEE INDICATES

MR FORM OR THROUGH OTHER MEANS THAT HE WISHES TO TAKE IT

FURTHER,"

PYRKE SAID.

NECESSARY INFORMATION

FOR THE ANALYSIS INCLUDE THE TYPES OF VESSELS INVOLVED, THEIR COURSES

THE AND SPEED,

LOCATION OF THE INCIDENT, THE CLOSEST DISTANCE BETWEEN THE TWO VESSELS AND WHAT ACTION WAS TAKEN TO AVOID COLLISION.

то FACILITATE THE REPORTING OF SUCH INCIDENTS, THE MARINE DEPARTMENT HAS DESIGNED A USER-FRIENDLY FORM FOR PEOPLE TO REPORT SUCH INCIDENTS.

**THE REPORTEES ARE ONLY REQUIRED TO TICK THE APPROPRIATE ANSWERS IN THE BOXES PROVIDED AND MARK THE LOCATION OF THE INCIDENT ON A MAP INCORPORATED IN THE FORM.

/"I ANTICIPATE