TNAG-1362-FCO40-1808-Hong-Kong-Hansard-reports-and-minutes-of-the-meetings-of-the-1985 — Page 54

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DRAFT SPEECH BY HON MARIA TAM, OBE, JP LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 29.5.85

Pilotage (Amendment) Bill 1985

Sir,

On the 12th of October 1981, the "Sunshine Island", an ocean-going Panama vessel, sailed from the Western Anchorage, Hong Kong and bounded for Keelung, Taiwan. Its original route was to sail west of Green Island and through the East Lamma Channel, but after picking up the anchor, it changed its course and went through the Southern Fairway to Sulphur Channel and then to the East Lamma Channel. While turning to starboard to enter the Fairway, the vessel overshot the Fairway and rammed into the North East part of the Green Island Cement Company Pier and alighted along the pier.

Extensive damage was caused both to the pier and the vessel. Two persons who were fishing on the pier and a watchman of the Cement Company lost their lives.

There was no pilot on board the vessel.

I welcome the introduction of the Pilotage (Amendment) Bill 1985 which, as the Secretary for Economic Services promised this Council on the 25th of November 1981, will phase in compulsory pilotage in Hong Kong waters. The gross registered tonnage specified under the First Schedule to the bill covers only the first phase of this exercise. I trust how soon we can move to phases two and three must depend on the availability of licensed pilots but I am pleased to note that the next phase will not take another 4 years.

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