ENG-1971 — Page 225

COMMUNICATIONS

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or from a fleet of harbour oilers owned and operated by the major oil companies. Fresh water is similarly available at commercial wharves or from waterboats which service vessels at anchor or at government moorings.

Hong Kong has a long history of shipbuilding and its ship repair facilities are extremely efficient. Whilst the Colony's major shipyards are able to build dry cargo vessels, tankers, and general purpose passenger and cargo vessels up to 500 feet in length, their work is now increasingly directed towards ship repairing and major modi- fications.

Two major shipyards are the Taikoo Dockyard and Engineering Co Ltd and the Hongkong and Whampoa Dock Co Ltd. Both companies have extensive facilities for the repair, maintenance and dry docking or slipping of all class and types of vessels up to 35,000 deadweight tons in the case of bulk oil tankers, or 750 feet in length and 88 feet beam in the case of passenger liners and dry cargo vessels. Minor shipyards in Hong Kong, with over 170 slipways, are well equipped to undertake repairs to small vessels and have developed a capacity for the building of specialised craft, particularly pleasure craft and yachts.

Hong Kong continues to play an important role as a centre of recruitment for seamen and over 25,000 seamen, out of a total of 64,351 locally registered men, are serving on board some 1,258 British and foreign flag vessels. The Seamen's Recruiting Office and the Mercantile Marine Office combine to register and supervise the employment of seamen on board vessels of all flags. The Mariner's Club in Kowloon provides recreational and welfare facilities of a high standard for seamen of all nationalities.

Hong Kong is situated in an area which is frequently affected by tropical cyclones in the summer months. In August 1971, typhoon Rose, although relatively small in area was probably one of the most intense and violent tropical storms ever to have affected the port. Twenty-six vessels ran aground at some stage during the typhoon mostly on north-east Lantau. In addition, two vessels, the Fat Shan, a Hong Kong-Macau ferry, and the Lee Hong, a laid-up ferry vessel, sank with considerable loss of life. Three hydrofoils were severely damaged and about three hundred local craft, including one hundred pleasure craft, were sunk or damaged as a result of the storm.

CIVIL AVIATION

The responsibility for the operation of Hong Kong Airport and the supervision of all aspects of civil aviation in the Colony and the

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