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The Shipping and Port Control (Amendment) Regulation 2008 and the Merchant Shipping (Local Vessels) (General) (Amendment) Regulation 2008 (the Regulations), made by the Chief Executive in Council and the Secretary for Transport and Housing respectively in May 2008, establish a vessel height restricted area near the new Stonecutters Bridge to prevent potential damage to the bridge and ensure the safe navigation of vessels in its vicinity. The Secretary for Transport and Housing has now appointed December 20, 2009, as the day on which the Regulations will come into operation.
The vessel height restricted area measures 41.9 hectares. Except with the permission of the Director of Marine, no vessels of a height exceeding 68.5 metres above sea level shall enter this area.
The Government will publish the commencement notices of the Regulations in the Gazette tomorrow (October 23) and table them in the Legislative Council on October 28 for negative vetting.
The above arrangements are to prepare for the commissioning of Stonecutters Bridge, targeted for December 20, 2009, as part of the Tsing Yi to Cheung Sha Wan section of Route 8. The Transport Department and other relevant departments will announce the detailed commissioning arrangements nearer the time.
Ends/Thursday, October 22, 2009
Issued at HKT 15:01
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