ENG-1974 — Page 197

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COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSPORT

Quarantine and immigration facilities are available on a 24-hour basis at the Western Quarantine Anchorage and from 6.30 am to 6 pm in the Eastern Quarantine Anchorage. The extended service at the Western Anchorage reflects the higher utilisation of the western approaches by vessels arriving at and departing from the port. Ships are normally cleared inwards on arrival and large passenger vessels are processed en route to their allocated berths. Advance immigration clearance and radio pratique may be obtained by certain vessels on application.

Navigational aids in the harbour and approaches are constantly being improved to ensure safe access to and from the port. All fairway buoys are lighted and many beacons are fitted with radar reflectors. A network of signal stations at Waglan Island, Green Island, North Point and the Marine Department Port Communica- tions Centre are all inter-connected by telephone, radio-telephone and teleprinter circuits. A modified Hague Plan VHF (radio-telephone) Port Operations Service is also operated by the Marine Department which ensures comprehensive marine communication throughout the harbour and its approaches. Although pilotage in the waters of Hong Kong is not compulsory, it is considered advisable in view of the density of marine traffic and the scale of harbour works continuously being undertaken.

Surveillance of fairways, typhoon shelters and cargo working areas is effectively undertaken by Marine Department launch patrols. The launches are in continuous radio contact with the port control office which is able to initiate and co-ordinate any action required by unusual circumstances. A fleet of modern fire-fighting vessels, operated by the Fire Services Department, is kept in a state of readiness and units are stationed on both sides of the harbour. These and other government vessels are equipped with harbour pollution control equipment. The pollution control unit of the Marine Department is responsible for the detection and control of oil pollution within the waters of Hong Kong. The harbour cleansing unit removes floating refuse from the main harbour and typhoon shelters. A refuse collection service for ocean- going ships is in operation.

Although the tonnage of cargo carried in containers continues to increase, a large percentage of the dry cargo handled in Hong Kong is still at some stage transported by lighters. More than 2,000 lighters and junks are now used for this purpose and nearly half of these are mechanised. Shipboard cargo gear is normally used for loading and discharging cargo alongside wharves or in the stream but floating heavy lift cranes are available when required. Wharf and godown companies are fully aware of the advantages and increased productivity which result from mechanisation, and modern equipment is being increasingly used to facilitate the rapid turnround of ships.

Three terminals at Kwai Chung cater for third generation container ships up to 60,000 gross tons calling at the port on scheduled services. Development of three additional berths is now underway and it is anticipated that they will be operational by late 1975. The existing terminals collectively occupy 125 acres of reclaimed land and have complete back-up services which include marshalling yards, cranes, ancillary