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The Director of Marine gazetted a notice today (November 29) on his approval of the revisions to a code of practice on the safety standards for local vessels. The revisions will implement the first-phase improvement measures to enhance marine safety as part of the Government's follow-up actions after the vessel collision incident off Lamma Island on October 1 last year.
In its report submitted to the Chief Executive in April 2013, the Commission of Inquiry into the Collision of Vessels near Lamma Island on 1 October 2012 (CoI) recommended a series of improvement measures to enhance marine safety in Hong Kong.
A spokesman for the Marine Department (MD) said, "The MD has been actively following up on the improvement measures recommended in the CoI report in consultation with the trade. The MD is determined to implement improvement measures to enhance the safety of passenger-carrying vessels, which is the top priority. Considering the trade's capacity in adapting to the introduction of a series of improvement measures, the MD will adopt a phased approach in implementation of the measures."
After numerous rounds of discussion, the Local Vessels Advisory Committee (LVAC) endorsed at its meeting on October 23, 2013, the implementation of the following five specific measures in the first phase:
(a) All vessels carrying more than 100 passengers should have a crew member to assist as a lookout in addition to the coxswain during the hours of darkness and in reduced visibility, and high-speed craft should have a lookout at all times. All seamen required to keep a lookout should have eyesight tests at intervals not exceeding five years;
(b) All passenger vessels carrying more than 100 passengers should have a muster list so that every member of the crew is aware of his duties in the event of emergency;
(c) Reviewing the minimum safe number of crew for ferries and launches;
(d) Improving signage and directives relating to lifejackets on-board; and
(e) Requiring watertight doors below the main deck to be fitted with alarms to the wheelhouse, so as to indicate whether they are open or closed, and to send alerts when watertight doors are open.
The MD has revised the relevant code of practice to implement the above improvement measures on local vessels. Item (d) will take effect three months after gazettal, while items (b) and (e) will take effect six months after gazettal. Measures that involve employment of additional crew and training (i.e. items (a) and (c)) will take effect one year after gazettal to allow time for the operators to make the necessary preparations.
The revised code of practice is available for inspection at the Local Vessels Safety Section of the MD on 23/F, Harbour Building, 38 Pier Road, Central, and is accessible on the MD's website at www.mardep.gov.hk.
Under section 8 of the Merchant Shipping (Local Vessels) Ordinance (Cap 548), the Director of Marine may approve and issue, or approve the revision of, a code of practice for the purpose of providing practical guidance in respect of requirements under the said Ordinance. The Director of Marine shall consult the LVAC and other interested persons before the approval.
Ends/Friday, November 29, 2013
Issued at HKT 11:13
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