ENG-1989 — Page 272

TRANSPORT

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substantiated the government's policy of provision of additional public cargo working areas throughout the territory to maintain and improve swift and efficient internal cargo movement.

Other wharves and terminals provided and operated by private enterprise are capable of accommodating vessels up to 30.5 metres in length with draughts up to 16.5 metres.

During 1989 the government appointed a multi-disciplinary team of international con- sultants to carry out a Port and Airport Development Strategy Study (PADS). The main purpose of the study was to provide a long-term strategy to ensure that the port and air- port facilities provided for Hong Kong by the year 2011 are in line with the demands of both air and shipping traffic. The second purpose was to address the more short-term demand for additional container terminals and to ensure that they are planned so that they do not compromise the long-term strategy.

As Hong Kong's existing port and airport are close to maximum capacity the PADS study recommended major port development, in hitherto unused parts of Hong Kong. The proposals make provision for the establishment of facilities to handle growth in break-bulk cargo, in addition to containerised cargo.

(Details of the Port and Airport Development Strategy are illustrated in the end-paper map at the end of this Report.)

The China Ferry Terminal at Tsim Sha Tsui was opened in early November 1988 and most China services now operate from there. Following public demand, a limited number of services to Macau started operating from the China Ferry Terminal in the spring and after a slow start, are gaining in popularity. Passenger throughput from June onwards declined and for the year ending December 31, 1989, was about 10 per cent less than expected.

At the Macau Ferry Terminal in Central, passenger growth remained steady at five per cent per annum. A service to Shekou, China, has operated successfully from Central during the year. It is intended that more services to China will operate from the Macau Ferry Terminal in the coming months.

During the year, 12.6 million passengers were carried between Hong Kong and Macau and 2.9 million between Hong Kong and China, by dynamically-supported ferries and conventional ferries operating from Central, Tsim Sha Tsui and Sham Shui Po.

The Marine Department provides and maintains 75 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 are special typhoon moorings to which vessels may remain secured during cyclones, so improving 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 An- chorage, these services are available only between 6 am and 6 pm 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.

All navigation buoys in Hong Kong coastal waters conform with the International Association of Lighthouse Authorities Maritime Buoyage System, and those marking major fairways are lit and fitted with radar reflectors. Aids to navigation in the harbour and its approaches are constantly being improved to ensure greater maritime safety.

The implementation phase of the Hong Kong Vessel Traffic System (VTS), which commenced in January 1989, was completed late in 1989. Upon completion, the VTS, whose purpose is to improve the safety of and expedite navigation within the waters