ENG-1988 — Page 270

TRANSPORT

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Yau Ma Tei, Kwun Tong, Tsuen Wan, Western District, Rambler Channel, Chai Wan, Sham Shui Po, Sheung Wan, Kowloon Bay and Tuen Mun. These areas are administered by the Marine Department. Government policy calls for the provision of public cargo working areas throughout the territory to maintain swift and efficient internal cargo

movement.

During 1988 the Hong Kong Government appointed a multi-disciplinary team of international consultants to carry out a Port and Airport Development Strategy Study (PADS). The main purpose of the study is to provide a long-term strategy to ensure that the port and airport facilities provided for Hong Kong by the year 2011 are in line with the demands of both air and shipping traffic. The second purpose is to address the more short-term demands for these facilities and to ensure that the facilities which are most urgently needed are planned in such a way that the long term strategy is not compromised. The study is expected to be completed by the end of 1989.

While Hong Kong already ranks as the leading container port in the world in terms of throughput, further expansion of the Kwai Chung Container Port is taking place. Work on the reclamation of 29 hectares of additional land for the provision of Terminal 6 began in 1987 and progessed well during 1988 with the first berth becoming operational in May. The second and the third berths are due to be completed in early and mid-1989 respectively.

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As a further phase of the expansion programme, the government, following a tender exercise, awarded in 1988 the development rights to one of the terminal operators to reclaim an additional 31.5 hectares of land for the provision of a three-berth Terminal 7. Work on this new terminal began during the year and the whole project is expected to be completed by the end of 1991.

During the year, 12 million passengers were carried between Hong Kong and Macau by dynamically-supported ferries and conventional ferries operating from either the Macau Ferry Terminal in Central on Hong Kong Island, and the Macau Ferry Terminal in Sham Shui Po in Kowloon.

About 3.2 million passengers travelling between Hong Kong and over 22 destinations in China, representing an increase of 14.3 per cent over 1987, passed through the temporary terminals at Tai Kok Tsui and Central during much of the year and then through the new China Ferry Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui which became operational in October 1988, replacing the two temporary terminals. A mixture of dynamically-supported ferries and conventional ferries operate on these routes.

The Marine Department provides and maintains 71 mooring buoys within the port of Hong Kong for ships to work cargo in the stream. These moorings are classified as 'A Class' and 'B Class' and are suitable for vessels up to 183 and 137 metres in length respectively. Many of these moorings are special typhoon moorings to which vessels may remain secured during the passage of tropical cyclone, so improving working efficiency and reducing operational costs.

Immigration and quarantine facilities for vessels calling at Hong Kong are available on a 24-hour basis at the Western Quarantine Anchorage. At the Eastern Quarantine Anchor- age, these services are available only between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. daily and in the case of the quarantine service, only on request through the Port Communications Centre. These services, including advance clearance, may be applied for by radio.

Compulsory pilotage is being introduced in phases in Hong Kong and at present applies to all vessels over 5000 gross registered tons, and in certain circumstances to smaller vessels. The final phase is expected to come into effect in 1989, when all ships of 1 000 gross

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