no lifting tackle and requiring shore-based cranes for
their loading and unloading), projected for the trade
routes serving the Far East, including Hong Kong, during
the next three years is estimated at some 23 main-line
ships, with another 8 smaller, but also non-self-sustaining,
ships providing feeder services in South East Asia.
5.
Developments in the handling of goods in
containers for ships has increased faster than had been
anticipated in the more industrially advanced countries
of the world where the importance of reducing expensive
labour handling charges and cuting down turnround times
of ships are of utrst importance. Almost 70% of the
Colony's trade is directed to those markets, and it is
most important that Hong Kong exporters should be able
to meet importers' demands in this field. Otherwise
Hong Kong exports will be at a disadvantage vis-à-vis their
competitors in countries like Japan, Taiwan, South Korea
and Singapore where container-terminal facilities are
being rapidly developed. Already some 6% of Hong Kong's
exports are being handled in containers and this
percentage, judging from experience elsewhere, is likely
to increase swiftly and dramatically, once adequate
terminal facilities are available to serve specialised
container-ships. Unless these facilities are available
the container capacity of conventional ships, being
limited, will soon be reached. For example, one of the
shipping companies has advised that 12% of Japan's
exports to the United States were handled in containers
at the beginning of 1967 but this increased to 50% in
1968 after container berths became operational in Tokyo
and Kobe, and to 70,; during the first half of 1969.
Another example is provided by O.C.L.'s container-ship
service between Europe and Australia where it had been
/originally
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