ENG-1953 — Page 186

COMMUNICATIONS

There are two large commercial shipbuilding, ship repairing and engineering establishments in the Colony, the Taikoo Dockyard and Engineering Company and the Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock Company. These companies are equipped to undertake new building up to 500 feet length and, for dry docking, ocean-going ships up to 750 feet length. Of particular interest is the Government firefloat "Alexander Grantham" which was built in the course of this year and put into service by the latter company. Of its type, this craft is one of the most powerful in the world and will be a valuable contribution to the safety of the port. The establishments referred to can carry out repairs to all kinds of hulls and to every type of machinery, and both are equipped with heavy lift cranes able to handle weights up to 150 tons. Many of the ships which came to them left their normal trading routes for the purpose of repair and overhaul, being attracted by the keen prices and the speed at which they are able to carry out repairs. During the year, at these two establishments alone, over 400 ships of an aggregate of 1,304,000 gross tons were docked for repairs and overhaul, while an additional 887 ships of 5,751,000 gross tons were serviced afloat. They were of various types and many nationalities. There are a few smaller establishments capable of slipping and carrying out repairs to hull and machinery to vessels up to about 200 feet in length, as well as about 200 other establishments which build and repair the numerous harbour craft and the host of native junks and boats. All the major Classification Societies are represented in the Colony by Resident Surveyors, and Government Surveyors, under the Director of Marine, are appointed to deal with matters arising from International Maritime Conventions and Safety of Life at Sea.

A list of the principal shipping companies using the port is given in Appendix XII.

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