>Press Releases Home > Publications and press releases > Press Releases HK hosts regional training course on marine accident investigation A pioneer regional training course for practicing marine accident investigators, jointly organised by the Marine Department of the Hong Kong SAR Government (HKSARG) and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), was launched in Hong Kong today (May 7). A total of 24 administrators from 18 countries and territories in the Asia-Pacific Region are attending the course which will last for two weeks. The Director of Marine, Mr Tsui Shung-yiu, said in a welcoming reception that he hoped the course would help not only in improving the quality and standards of marine accident investigations, but would also result in greater coordination and cooperation amongst the Administrations in the region. Noting that most of the participants hold very senior positions in their respective Administrations, Mr Tsui said the course would not be a one-way process but a two-way one. "I believe that all participants, including the lecturers, will benefit from the collective experience," he said. Apart from the professionals of the Marine Department, several distinguished experts from various fields of the shipping industry in Hong Kong and overseas are assisting in running the course. In order to make the curriculum as varied and interesting as possible, field visits to the Marine Department's Vessel Traffic Centre, Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre as well as harbour tour have been arranged. But Mr Tsui stressed that success of the course would depend most of all on trainees' active and full participation. He said it was a great pride for the Marine Department to host such a regional training course and hoped that with IMO's cooperation, this course would become an annual event in Hong Kong. Also addressing the trainees and some 40 guests from the shipping community at today's welcoming reception at Mariners' Club, Tsim Sha Tsui, was IMO representative Ms Xiang Yang. On behalf of the IMO and its Secretary-General Mr William O'Neil, she thanked the Marine Department for the great efforts and generous contribution for organizing the course. She said the vibrant and dynamic growth of the Asia-Pacific Region's economy had resulted in a substantial increase in demand for shipping. But due to lack of maritime infrastructure and skilled manpower, the maritime sector in come countries, especially the developing countries, could not keep pace with the development. "The IMO, therefore, has launched a technical assistance project and in 2000, consultants have been sent to Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam to assess their needs for flag state implementation," Ms Xiang said. She added that the current course on marine accident investigation was one of the activities under the project. Hosting of this regional training course in Hong Kong is a result of the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on maritime technical cooperation by Secretary-General of IMO Mr William O'Neil and the former Secretary for Economic Services Mr Stephen Ip in March last year. The agreement has officially established the working relationship between the HKSARG and the IMO for the delivery of technical assistance activities for the Asia-Pacific Region. Under the MOU, the Marine Department has provided experts for an overseas training course at Dalian in the Mainland of China on port state control inspections in December last year. Furthermore, an expert from the department has been sent to Cambodia for a week in March this year to render assistance to improve their maritime legislation and enforcement infrastructure. Monday, 7 May 2001
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