ENG-1982 — Page 252

TRANSPORT

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57 special typhoon buoys which are located so that ships can remain secured to them during tropical storms. This obviates unnecessary ship movements and helps to maintain efficiency and reduce operational costs. Dangerous goods anchorages are available if required, and safe anchorages are available for deep-draught vessels.

For ships calling at Hong Kong, quarantine and immigration facilities are available on a 24-hour basis at the Western Quarantine Anchorage, and from 6.30 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. at the Eastern Quarantine Anchorage. Ships are normally cleared inward on arrival. Port clearance of larger passenger vessels is processed on their way to the allocated berths. Vessels may on application obtain advance immigration clearance and health pratique by radio.

As a major centre for ship owners and management activities, Hong Kong is a significant port of British registry. In 1982, the total Hong Kong-registered fleet approached four million gross tonnes. The Marine Safety Division of the Marine Department is responsible for the survey and certification of these-vessels and provides a plan approval service, Surveyors of the division travelled world-wide to undertake statutory surveys on vessels intended for the British registry in Hong Kong and are available to survey any British or foreign ships for the issue of safety certificates under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) 1974, and other international safety conventions. Examinations for certificates of competency as deck and marine engineer officer are held regularly. These certificates are recognised by the United Kingdom Department of Trade and receive Commonwealth validity. The division also promotes safe-working practices in shipbuilding, ship-repairing, shipbreaking and shipboard cargo handling in Hong Kong waters and continuously monitors these activities and investigates marine industrial accidents.

Pilotage in Hong Kong is not compulsory, but is considered advisable because of the density of traffic and the scale of harbour works continually undertaken. Compulsory pilotage is being considered by the government for introduction in future. The Director of Marine is the Pilotage Authority in Hong Kong. All licensed pilots in Hong Kong are members of the Hong Kong Pilots' Association, which organises the provision of pilotage services in Hong Kong as a commercial venture, the fees for which are governed by statute.

All the navigation buoys in Hong Kong waters are in uniformity with the International Association of Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) Maritime Buoyage System 'A' and all fairway buoys are lit and fitted with reflectors. Other aids to navigation in the harbour and its approaches are constantly being improved to ensure greater safety and the programmed conversion to solar power of a number of light beacons is proving very successful. Marine Department signal stations at Waglan Island, Green Island, North Point and the Port Communications Centre are all connected by telephone, radio-telephone and teleprinter circuits. The Marine Department operates a continuous VHF radio-telephone port opera- tions service based on international maritime frequencies which gives comprehensive marine communications throughout the harbour and its approaches. Marine Department teleprinter/telex facilities are linked directly to users on a world-wide basis. There is also a continuously monitored disaster network which links the Marine Department's Search and Rescue Co-ordination Centre with aircraft of the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force and military helicopters, marine police and fire services launches and other similar facilities. In the event of a vessel experiencing difficulties in the South China Sea within about 1 300 kilometres of Hong Kong, the Marine Department is able to act as a rescue co-ordinating centre.