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Attention radio/TV announcers:
Please broadcast the following at suitable intervals:
In regard to the New Year's Eve countdown celebrations to be held tonight, the Marine Department (MD) will implement marine traffic control measures in Victoria Harbour. These will include establishing a Restricted Area in the Central Harbour from 11pm tonight to about 1.15am tomorrow, and all public piers and landing steps within the Restricted Area will be closed. To facilitate crowd control on land at the waterfront of the Tsim Sha Tsui area, all public landing steps at Kowloon Public Pier will be closed from 9.30pm tonight to about 2am tomorrow. The MD appeals to the public to pay attention to the control measures and carry out embarkation and disembarkation arrangements properly.
In addition, the MD reminds members of the public to pay attention to marine safety when participating in the event at sea. Parents or adults should look after children and ensure that the children are in a lifejacket at all times. Coxswains should keep a passenger and crew list in case it is needed. In addition, passengers should note the locations of the vessels' emergency exits and the lifejackets, and note how to put on a lifejacket, before the vessels depart. Vessels should refrain from overloading or speeding.
The MD has issued Marine Department Notice No. 157 of 2013 in regard to the marine traffic control and safety measures for the New Year's Eve countdown celebrations tonight. Members of the public can visit the MD's website for more details (www.mardep.gov.hk).
Ends/Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Issued at HKT 12:03
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