*******************************************************

The Marine Department today (June 29) reminded ship owners, operators, masters and persons-in-charge that the revised speed limit system governing the speed of vessels within Hong Kong waters would come into operation on July 1 (Saturday).

"Three speed restricted areas will be established in the harbour and adjacent waters with different speed limits being imposed on vessels depending on their lengths," a spokesman for Marine Department said.

The central part of the Victoria Harbour between Causeway Bay and Green Island is designated as Area A, where maximum speeds for vessels of 60 metres or less, and over 60 metres, are set at 10 knots and eight knots respectively.

In Area B, which covers the eastern part of the Victoria Harbour beyond Causeway Bay, and the adjacent waters to the east and west of the harbour limit, the maximum speeds for vessels of 60 metres or less, and over 60 metres, are 15 knots and 10 knots respectively.

Area C refers to the major fairways on the western waters of the Victoria Harbour, namely the Western Fairway, Kap Shui Mun Fairway, Ma Wan Fairway and the northern part of the East Lamma channel, where a maximum speed of 15 knots will be imposed on all vessels.

Regarding speed limit in typhoon shelters, the spokesman said that all vessels underway in the entrance to or within a typhoon shelter should not exceed five knots.

In popular boating areas as stipulated in the Eighteenth Schedule to the Shipping and Port Control Regulations (mainly in Tai Po, Sai Kung and southern part of Hong Kong island), a speed limit of five knots will be imposed on all vessels between 8 am and 12 midnight on any Saturday, public holiday, or on any day from July 1 to September 15 of a year.

The Shipping and Port Control (Amendment) Regulation 2000, the Shipping and Port Control (Typhoon Shelters) (Amendment) Regulation 2000 and the Shipping and Port Control Regulations (Speed Restricted Zones for Pleasure Vessels) (Repeal) Notice 2000, which provide a legal framework for the revised system, will become effective on July 1.

The spokesman stressed that the revised speed limit system sought to strike a balance between navigational safety on the one hand and port efficiency on the other.

A Marine Department Notice No. 84 of 2000 has been issued to give details of the revised speed limit system. Free copies of the notice are available from the Central Marine Office on the third floor, Harbour Building, 38 Pier Road, Central and also from the Marine Department homepage on the Internet at http://www.info.gov.hk/mardep/index.htm.

End/Thursday, June 29, 2000

NNNN