ENG-1954 — Page 237

HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT, 1954

by stevedoring companies and shipping interests. A recent innovation is the "Harborfone" service for visiting ships, which enables vessels moored in the stream, to communicate by radio telephone with sub- scribers to the local telephone service. Oil bunkering facilities are designed and sited to minimize delays to ships which may require fuel on their way in or out of the main harbour. Two small tankers and ten oil lighters are also available for servicing vessels moored at buoys, or at the piers of the various wharf companies. Facilities for replenishing fresh water on ocean-going ships include six self-propelled lighters and a few dumb lighters, but it has been necessary in the past year to request shipmasters to restrict their fresh water require- ments to the minimum required to take their vessels to the next port of call. Pilotage is not compulsory in Hong Kong waters, but pilots are available and their fees are very reasonable.

During the year ending 31st March, 1954, (the figures for 1953 are shown in brackets) 7,344 (6,166) ocean going vessels of 21,113,305 (18,197,763) net tons, 2,306 (3,250) river steamers of 2,258,283 (2,593,268) net tons and 21,756 (23,873) junks and launches of 1,358,711 (1,473,819) net tons entered and cleared the port.

A total of 769,961 (1,060,580) passengers were embarked and disembarked; of these 56,651 (49,291) passengers were carried by ocean going vessels, 713,310 (1,011,289) by river steamers and none (none) by junks.

Weight tons of cargo discharged and loaded were as follows:-

Ocean going vessels: 2,799,945 (3,043,990) 1,324,073 (1,372,669)

Discharged

Loaded

River steamers:

21,559 (25,663)

34,840 (34,519)

Junks and launches:

354,885 (379,568)

96,551 (115,610)

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