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In response to media enquiries about two cargo containers suspected to contain explosives and which prompted the Port of Seattle terminal to be evacuated, a spokeswoman for the Hong Kong Customs today (August 17) clarified that the containers did not go through the Port of Hong Kong. She added that the vessel carrying the cargoes in question did come to Hong Kong but the cargoes were loaded onto the vessel after it left here.
"According to information from the US Government and the shipping agent of the subject vessel, the concerned vessel called at the Port of Hong Kong on July 29 and arrived in Shanghai on August 1 via Yantian. The containers in question, which were exported from Pakistan, were loaded onto the vessel in Shanghai between August 1 and 2 before it left for Seattle," she said.
Ends/Thursday, August 17, 2006
Issued at HKT 18:45
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