XN000022-1997-01-28 — Page 12

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In the 1996 event, the Marine Department recorded more than 300 craft assembled in the central harbour for the display.

Five barges for discharging the fireworks will be moored in Central Victoria Harbour in the afternoon of February 8. An area encompassing these barges will be established as a closed area between 2 and 9 pm.

"This area will be closed to all traffic except government craft and vessels directly involved in the fireworks display," Mr Tsang said.

To keep vessels clear from the marine works sites off Central and Wan Chai, a restricted area will be set up between 7 and 9 pm on that day.

The restricted area is bounded on the east side by a straight line joining Hung Hom Railway Station Cargo Pier and the breakwater at Kellet Island near the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, Causeway Bay. The western boundary is a straight line joining the southwest extreme of Ocean Terminal, Tsim Sha Tsui and the Central Government Pier.

"No vessels other than government craft, vessels directly involved in the fireworks display or those which have obtained permission from the Director of Marine will be allowed to anchor or to be underway within the restricted area," Mr Tsang said.

He added: "Special permission will only be given to public transport vessels and those for the essential operation of the port. Applications from spectator vessels for viewing the display will not be entertained."

Some ferry companies using their vessels for watching the fireworks display will be positioned well to the east outside the restricted area, in the sea area between Hung Hom and Causeway Bay.

To facilitate crowd control on shore landing steps at Queen's Pier, Lung King Street, Kowloon Public Pier and Tsim Sha Tsui East promenade will be closed to marine traffic from 7 to 9 pm; Hung Hom East steps from 7 to 8.30 pm.

Mr Tsang urged vessels, if possible, to use landings in areas away from Central, Wan Chai and Tsim Sha Tsui.

Two sterile areas will be set up at Queen's Pier and Kowloon Public Pier receptively from 9 to 10 pm to ensure safe navigation and orderly disembarkation of passengers after the fireworks display.