ENG-1986 — Page 236

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TRANSPORT

Port Development and Shipping Services The port of Hong Kong has continued to meet efficiently the demands of an increasing number of ship arrivals as well as a growth in both the volume of cargo handled and passenger numbers.

Victoria Harbour, lying between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, is the centre of shipping activity. It has an area of 5 000 hectares and varies in width from 1.2 to 9.6 kilometres.

The optimum utilisation of all port facilities is reflected in the turn-round time for ships using the port, with vessels working cargo at harbour mooring buoys remaining on average for just two-and-a-half days and container ships at Kwai Chung terminals remaining for about 13 hours. These are probably the fastest turn-round times for any port in the Far East.

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The administration of the port is the responsibility of the Director of Marine. He is advised by various committees through which the closest liaison with shipping and commercial interests is maintained to ensure that facilities and services are developed to meet the changing needs of Hong Kong and of ships using the port.

In 1986, some 14 050 ocean-going vessels and 81 150 river-trade vessels called at Hong Kong and loaded and discharged more than 62 million tonnes of cargo. This included 34 million tonnes of general goods from ocean-going vessels, of which 44 per cent was containerised cargo.

Although containerisation is a major cargo transport method, a considerable amount of dry cargo handled in Hong Kong is transported at some stage by lighters and motor cargo boats. About 2000 of these were operating at the end of 1986, and 26 per cent were mechanised. Break-bulk cargo is normally handled, using ships' gear, but floating heavy-lift cranes are available when required.

The port of Hong Kong handled 2.7 million TEUS (20-foot equivalent units) in 1986. The container terminals at Kwai Chung provide six berths with more than 2 300 metres of quay backed by about 90 hectares of cargo handling area. This area includes container yards and container freight stations, all of which are operated by private companies or consortia. Up to six 'third generation' container ships can berth simultaneously at the container terminals. One of the terminal operators at Kwai Chung provides a 12-storey multi-purpose godown which has a usable floor area of 52 400 square metres, with the first two floors serving as a container freight station. A six-storey cargo distribution and handling centre, one of the largest of its kind in the world, is also being constructed and will more than double the operator's present container capacity. Various other multi-storey godowns in the vicinity of Kwai Chung provide additional storage facilities.

Other wharves and terminals provided and operated by private enterprise are capable of accommodating vessels up to 305 metres in length with draughts up to 14.6 metres. Cargo handling facilities in the public sector include cargo working areas at Wan Chai, Yau Ma Tei, Kwun Tong, Tsuen Wan, Western District, Rambler Channel, Chai Wan, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon Bay and Tuen Mun. These areas are administered by the Marine Depart- ment. Government policy calls for the provision of public cargo working areas throughout the territory to maintain swift and efficient internal cargo movement.

The Marine Department, in co-operation with other government departments, com- pleted a Port Development Strategy Study in May. The object of the study is to recommend a strategy and development programme for the provision of additional major port facilities in Hong Kong up to the year 2001, taking into account anticipated future demands derived from trade forecasts, the capacities of various existing and planned port facilities and