ENG-2006 — Page 326

270 | Transport

governed by the MOU. The department's PSC officers are well known for their professionalism and impartiality in conducting ship inspections.

In 2006, the department continued to conduct Port State Control inspections. daily, including weekends whenever practicable. The officers conducted 596 inspections of ocean-going vessels, or 13.1 per cent of ocean-going vessels that visited Hong Kong. About 10 per cent of the ships inspected were detained because of serious deficiencies that needed immediate attention.

Maritime Search and Rescue

The Marine Department's Maritime Rescue and Coordination Centre (MRCC) coordinates search and rescue operations for disasters occurring in Hong Kong waters or in parts of the South China Sea. It is responsible for about 450 000 square nautical miles of sea.

The MRCC is manned 24 hours a day by professional staff and is equipped with modern communication equipment and is aided by a shore-based Global Maritime Distress and Safety System.

During the year, the centre handled 214 vessel-related emergencies, 53 of which involved search and rescue operations. A total of 238 people were rescued in those. operations.

In recognition of its expertise, the Hong Kong MRCC has been chosen as a member of the IMO/International Civil Aviation Organisation Joint Working Group for Harmonisation of Maritime and Aeronautical Search and Rescue.

Government Fleet and Dockyard

Government Fleet

The government fleet consists of 727 vessels of different types and sizes with special vessels serving 14 government departments including the Hong Kong Police Force, Customs and Excise and Fire Services. These vessels are mostly purpose-built and manned by the user departments or by the Marine Department. The department itself controls 23 pontoons and 60 vessels, comprising mainly patrol launches, conveyance launches and some specialised vessels such as hydrographic survey launches and explosives carriers. They are used in port operations and by government departments that do not have their own boats.

Since 1999, the department has been awarding contracts to private operators to provide conveyance launches, tugboats and other marine transport services for the department. At present, it has contracts with Hong Kong companies to provide it with 23 vessels and other sea transport services.

Government Dockyard

The Government Dockyard is located on Stonecutters Island, occupying 9.8 hectares of land and a sheltered water basin measuring 8.3 hectares. It serves as one of the operational bases for the Marine Department, the Hong Kong Police Force, and the Customs and Excise Department.