ENG-1960 — Page 280

COMMUNICATIONS

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ships built and the ships applying for registration under the British flag' at Hong Kong. Half a million tons of shipping are included in the Hong Kong Register of Ships, one hundred and twenty four of these being foreign-going vessels of over 500 gross tons.

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The enormous amount of small craft traffic within the harbour, frequent ferry services, small tugs for lighter towage, fishing vessels, cargo boats, pleasure craft and the multitude of commercial motor boats create special problems both in the day-to-day running of the Port and for the safety of these craft during the typhoon season. Over 26,000 native-type craft and small vessels operate in the Colony waters, of which about 4,000 are mechanized, and a sub-department of the Marine Department is devoted to the needs and problems of this community which plays such an important part in the economy of Hong Kong. Examinations are conducted for the Local Certificates of Competency for Master and Engineer of the mechanized craft, and these go a long way to ensure a good standard of handling and safety precautions and so reduce the number of accidents which might otherwise occur. Typhoon shelters are provided and berthing in these is regulated to ensure that the maximum number of craft obtain shelter while at the same time possible dangers such as fire are reduced to a minimum. During the year these vessels transported 864,000 tons inward and 162,000 tons outward in the internal trade, whilst in external trade with China and Macau they carried 1,057,000 tons of food- stuffs and other commodities inwards and 127,000 tons of cargo outwards.

All types of ships were brought to the Colony for demolition this year, tankers, liners, coasters and aircraft carriers. Thousands of tons of scrap metal were produced of which a large proportion was exported and the remainder used in local industries. The Hong Kong firm of International Salvage (Association) Ltd was announced as having received a contract in September from the Indonesian government to salvage 104 ships sunk in the Second World War.

CIVIL AVIATION

The broad promontory of Hong Kong Airport, projecting over a mile into Kowloon Bay, is already a familiar sight to visitors to the Colony, and is symbolic both of the progress made in