ENG-1968 — Page 265

COMMUNICATIONS

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which 111 ships are over 500 tons gross. The number of shipping companies owning British ships in Hong Kong is 107. Vast number of small craft operate in the harbour and create special problems. There are more than 19,000 vessels in this category and some 9,400 are mechanized. It is mandatory for persons in charge of mechanized craft to possess a local certificate of competency as master or engineer.

Trade continued with Macau and adjacent Chinese ports, though there was a decrease with previous years. Cargoes from these areas are transported mainly by towed lighters or junks. Details of trade tonnage may be found in Appendix XXXVIII. A brisk internal trade is carried on between the harbour area and outlying districts. The shipbreaking industry improved, and ships notified as coming to be broken up in Hong Kong up to the end of the year totalled 38, compared with only 34 last year.

The American vessel Columbia Trader grounded on Waglan Island on August 7, 1968 and due to the rupturing of two of her fuel tanks, a quantity of black oil was released to the sea. On August 8 some Colony beaches were polluted with oil and large oil slicks were reported in the Tathong Channel. Marine Department launches and Fire Services vessels sprayed emulsifiers and high pressure water jets on the contaminated areas and in a week long operation, 6,423 gallons of emulsifier were used in clean up operations including 1,315 gallons used by the Urban Services Department in cleansing the beaches. The Columbia Trader was refloated for repair at a local shipyard on August 11. [[ ! ]

A number of casualties occurred in the China Sea during the year and a number of casualties occurred in Colony waters also. The British vessel Eastern Lion went ashore in January off Chinwangtao promontary on the coast of China and another British vessel the Victoria Bay grounded on Breaker Point near Swatow in April 1968. Both vessels were refloated. Another British vessel, the Yung- futary went ashore on the coast of Fukien province on July 26 and was subsequently abandoned. A Panamanian vessel, the Wing Lien in collision with a Chinese lighter, the Yuet Hong 2001 subsequently sank in Tathong Channel on the morning of April 6 and on August 6 a dredger under tow to the Colony capsized and sank after having been towed into Tai Tam Bay. Typhoon signals were