ENG-1994 — Page 314

TRANSPORT

Vessel Traffic

The Marine Department's Vessel Traffic Centre (VTC) helps ensure a safe and efficient marine traffic flow in the densely-populated waters in and around the port. The movements of ocean-going vessels are directly regulated from the VTC through a computer-assisted radar network, a database on ships and VHF radio telephone communications. During 1994, new, updated vessel traffic service legislation was introduced to replace and streamline existing regulations.

The legislation resulted in more user-friendly communications procedures and made it mandatory for all ocean-going vessels of 300 gross registered tonnes (GRT) and above to follow VTC directions.

Fairways and Anchorages

Since mid-1994, the principal fairways and anchorages in the western harbour and at Yau Ma Tei have been reorganised to enhance safe vessel movements and to achieve a more organised usage of the available waters. To make the main approaches to the port of Hong Kong safer, the traffic separation scheme in the East Lamma Channel has been extended southwards as a traffic-organising measure.

Harbour Patrol and Local Control Stations

Marine Department launches, in continuous radio contact with the VTC, patrol the main harbour area and its approaches to maintain order and respond to emergencies. During 1994, the department stepped up harbour patrols by establishing a special team to monitor marine traffic in the central harbour. Three new speedboats were also deployed to cover local waters, to enable officers to react quickly to any situation that might arise. To tighten the surveillance and control of certain high risk spots such as the Ma Wan Channel, the department is introducing new, dedicated control stations to handle local traffic. The installation of the Ma Wan control station has commenced. An additional radar station is also being set up at Kau Yi Chau to augment the VTC.

Pilotage Service

Pilots play an important role in navigation safety by assisting shipmasters who are unfamiliar with Hong Kong waters. At present, ships over 5 000 GRT, and certain other vessels, are required to engage pilots when moving within the port and its approaches. The Director of Marine regulates and controls the pilotage service, although the pilots themselves operate as a private company.

The number of pilots and the quality of their service are kept under constant review and closely monitored by the Pilotage Advisory Committee, whose membership covers a wide spectrum of port users and shipping interests.

Following the recommendations of a pilotage review consultancy study completed in 1994, action has been initiated to extend compulsory pilotage to all ships exceeding 3 000 GRT and to shift the pilot boarding station seawards from Green Island to the outer entrance of the East Lamma Channel.

These initiatives, together with legal changes to the institutional arrangements of the service, will place marine pilotage in a position to meet the needs of the port well into the next century.

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