port
Moorings and anchorages The Marine Department operates and maintains 58 mooring buoys for seagoing vessels. Of these 31 are suitable for ships up to 183 metres in length and 27 for ships up to 137 metres. There are 44 special
typhoon mooring buoys to which ships can remain secured during typhoons. This improves efficiency and reduces operational costs of vessels through elimination of unnecessary movements. In addition to the three Immigration and Quarantine Anchorages designated for visiting vessels to complete port formalities, there are eight
dangerous goods and eight general-purpose anchorages providing temporary berthing spaces for vessels. The areas and water depths of the anchorages are diversified to accommodate different sizes and draughts of ships calling at Hong Kong. There are over 460 modern marine
aids to navigation throughout Hong Kong waters to guide mariners to and from their berths.
Navigation safety All
fairway buoys are lit and fitted with radar reflectors. Traffic Separation Schemes operate in the
East Lamma Channel and
Tathong Channel. The Marine Department's
VHF radio network provides comprehensive marine communication coverage throughout the
harbour and its approaches. The department has direct communication links with other maritime authorities and users worldwide. Locally, the department's
Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) maintains direct contact with emergency response services, which include the Government Flying Service, Marine Police and Fire Services.
MRCC provides 24-hour maritime distress alert monitoring and co-ordinates all maritime
search and rescue operations within the Hong Kong search and rescue region in the South China Sea. A comprehensive
vessel traffic service is provided by the department's
Vessel Traffic Centre (VTC), with radar surveillance and tracking capabilities as well as a fully integrated data handling sub-system, covers 95% of Hong Kong waters used by seagoing vessels and ferries. The VTC offers advice on the activities of other vessels and gives navigational information to mariners through a sectorised VHF network. This ensures the safety standard and traffic efficiency of the port. An upgraded vessel tracking system, which can track 4,000 moving vessels plus 1,000 stationary targets in real time, has been in operation since early 2002. It provides the latest technology such as
AIS,
ECDIS,
CCTV, new VHF-direction finders and modern communications systems to further improve navigation safety and operation efficiency. Marine Department patrol launches maintain a watch on shipping, traffic separation schemes,
fairways, navigational channels,
typhoon shelter and cargo-working areas. They provide on-scene support to the VTC, and are in continuous radio contact with the VTC and local marine traffic control stations located at
Ma Wan and
Kwai Chung Container Port. The VTC is thus able to promptly initiate and co-ordinate actions required to facilitate safe navigation in the port. The Hydrographic Office of the Marine Department surveys Hong Kong waters and produces nautical charts to facilitate safe navigation within the port. It functions with reference to the standards laid down by the International
Hydrographic Organisation (IHO). Notices to Mariners are promulgated fortnightly to update bilingual nautical charts. A
Differential Global Positioning System correction signal is broadcast continuously on 289 kHz to assist mariners using
GPS navigation to position-fix their vessels more accurately.
Tidal height predictions and real-time tidal information are provided on the department's website. Pilotage is compulsory for ships of 3,000 gross tons and above and gas carriers of any tonnage. Quarantine and immigration facilities are available on a 24-hour basis. Advance immigration clearance and radio pratique may be obtained by certain vessels on application.
Dangerous goods Dangerous goods are moved in the waters of Hong Kong strictly in accordance with the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code. Their movements must be recorded in the Marine Department's Dangerous Goods Information System. Firefighting vessels operated by the Fire Services Department are kept in a state of readiness at all times. The Marine Department's pollution control vessels are on 24-hour standby to deal with
oil spills. Other working facilities To facilitate transfer of cargo between vessels and the shore, and cargo to and from
Pearl River ports, the Marine Department provides and manages 7,756 metres of
public cargo-working sea frontage in various parts of Hong Kong. Bulk handling facilities for coal and oil are provided at the power generating stations at
Tap Shek Kok in
Castle Peak and at
Po Lo Tsui on
Lamma Island. ==Hong Kong Shipping Register==