ENG-2001 — Page 326

TRANSPORT

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Eastern Quarantine and Immigration Anchorage. The Tuen Mun Immigration Anchorage operates 24 hours daily for river trade vessels plying between Hong Kong and Pearl River Delta ports.

Mooring Buoys

The Marine Department provides 58 mooring buoys in the harbour area for ships to work cargo. There are 31 class 'A' buoys for vessels up to 183 metres in length and 27 class 'B' buoys for vessels up to 137 metres in length. Booking of these mooring buoys is made through the Vessel Traffic Centre.

Bunkering

Bunkering is readily available at commercial wharves and oil terminals or from a large fleet of private bunkering barges. Fresh water may also be provided alongside berths or from a private fleet of water boats.

Ship Repair and Dry-Docking

The port has extensive facilities for repairing, dry-docking and slipping all types of vessels of up to 150 000 dead-weight tonnes. Local shipyards are able to build and maintain workboats and pleasure vessels. The Marine Department provides a free inspection and advice service to promote safe working practices in ship-repairing, ship-breaking and cargo-handling afloat.

Public Cargo Working Areas

The Marine Department manages eight Public Cargo Working Areas (PCWAS) for public use. There are 187 berths allocated to cargo operators through tendering. In 2001, installation of automatic vehicle control systems in the PCWAS at Stonecutters Island, Tuen Mun, Yau Ma Tei and Rambler Channel was completed.

Reception of Marine Wastes

The Marine Department operates services provided by contractors to collect domestic refuse from ocean-going vessels and local vessels. The Chemical Waste Treatment Centre on Tsing Yi Island provides facilities to handle oily and chemical wastes from ships. Registered contractors collect such waste from ships and deliver it to the centre.

Combating Oil Pollution in the Port

The Marine Department maintains a maritime oil spill response plan. The plan, in line with the standards that are expected of a world-class port, aims to ensure a timely and effective response to oil spills in Hong Kong waters.

There is an information exchange network between Hong Kong and the neighbouring ports in Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Zhuhai and Macau. This enables information on a major oil spill incident in any one of these ports to be disseminated to the others immediately. In 2001, a regional maritime oil spill response plan was prepared. The aim of this plan is to enhance the regional co-operation and practice in the event of a major oil spill incident occurring in any of the neighbouring ports.

In October 2001, the Pollution Control Unit of the Marine Department organised a large-scale oil spill clean-up exercise in which all concerned government departments and local oil companies took part.