256 Transport
Local Vessels
In 2009, 14 121 local vessels
including passenger, cargo, fishing and pleasure vessels - were licensed in Hong Kong to provide a variety of efficient services for the port and the community. To improve the licensing and management of these vessels, the new Merchant Shipping (Local Vessels) Ordinance was enacted and came into force in January 2007.
Hydrographic Service
The Hydrographic Office carries out hydrographic surveys and produces nautical charts and publications in Chinese and English. It also produces Electronic Navigational Charts. It issues Notices to Mariners for updating the charts once every two weeks, and also provides real-time information about tides, tidal stream and Ma Wan transit tidal window predictions through the Internet (www.hydro.gov.hk).
Planning, Development and Port Security
The Marine Department provides professional advice on the planning of projects. that affects the port and marine traffic, and promulgates in Marine Department Notices the details of marine works. The department's statistical unit complies and analyses maritime and port statistics on vessel movements and container throughput, and publishes them periodically on the department's website (www.mardep.gov.hk/ en/publication/portstat.html).
All the designated port facilities in Hong Kong comply fully with the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code of the International Maritime Organisation. The department administers the implementation of the code, including monitoring the training and qualifications of the port facilities' security personnel, security exercises and drills conducted at the port facilities and carrying out annual audits of port facility security arrangements.
Marine Industrial Safety
The Marine Department enforces safety requirements on works carried out on board vessels including cargo handling, ship repair and marine construction under the Shipping and Port Control (Works) Regulation and Merchant Shipping (Local Vessels)(Works) Regulation. Its Marine Industrial Safety Section conducts safety checks on works carried out on board vessels and promotes safe working practices and regulations for frontline workers.
Port Services and Facilities
Mainland and Macao Ferry Services
The Marine Department operates two cross-boundary ferry terminals: the Hong Kong-Macao Ferry Terminal with 12 berths and the China Ferry Terminal with 13 berths. The Hong Kong-Macao Ferry Terminal operates round-the-clock. The China Ferry Terminal is open daily from 7 am to midnight. The Tuen Mun Ferry Terminal, operated by a tenant under a tenancy agreement, opened for service on November 3, 2006. It has three berths and operates daily from 7 am to 10 pm. The department
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