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The Pilotage (Dues) (Amendment) Order 2009 will be gazetted on December 4, 2009. The Order seeks to reduce the additional pilotage dues, where a pilot is required to board or disembark from a ship off Ngan Chau or at the west of Lamma Island, from $1,900 to $1,820 for a period of 18 months.
A Transport and Housing Bureau spokesman said today (December 2), "Pilotage dues are commercial fees charged by licensed pilots for the provision of pilotage services. The fee levels are periodically reviewed by the Hong Kong Liner Shipping Association, representing the service users, and the Hong Kong Pilots Association, representing the service providers. The proposed reduction in pilotage dues has been agreed between the two parties and endorsed by the Pilotage Advisory Committee."
The Pilotage Ordinance (Cap. 84) empowers the Pilotage Authority, who is the Director of Marine, to set the amount of pilotage dues by order published in the Gazette after consultation with the Pilotage Advisory Committee. The Order will be tabled at the Legislative Council on December 9, 2009.
Ends/Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Issued at HKT 18:08
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