>Press Releases Home > Publications and press releases > Press Releases Traffic ban in central harbour for 2003 Lunar New Year fireworks display The central Victoria Harbour will be closed to marine traffic on February 2 (Sunday) from 7 pm to 9 pm to facilitate the 2003 Lunar New Year fireworks display. A Marine Department (MD) spokesman said today (January 27) that they would implement the marine traffic measures in conjunction with the Marine Police (Marpol) and the Fire Services Department (FSD ) to ensure safety and smooth traffic at sea. "On that day, one barge and eight pontoons in the mid-stream off Wan Chai will fire the fireworks starting at 8 pm . Their surrounding waters will be closed from 3 pm to 11 pm to all traffic, except craft directly involved in the fireworks display, Government launches, and other authorised vessels." "From 7 pm to 9 pm, the extent of the traffic ban will be enlarged to cover all central harbour. Vessels, other than excepted vessels, will be prohibited from entering or remaining in the Restricted Area , which is bounded on the east by a line joining Hung Hom Railway Station Cargo Pier and the breakwater at Kellett Island of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, and on the west by a line joining the southwest extremity of the Ocean Terminal and the Central Government Pier." "The excepted vessels are Government launches, vessels directly involved in the fireworks display, and vessels that have obtained special permission from the Director of Marine," the spokesman said. To ensure orderly disembarkation of passengers after the show, sterile areas will be set up at Queen's Pier and Kowloon Public Pier from around 8.05 pm on that day. These sterile areas will include waters stretching from the piers to a distance of about 90 metres offshore. All vessels have to wait at designated gathering areas for their turn to enter from the east and thereafter depart from the west of the sterile areas. MD and Marpol launches will be on site to enforce the traffic measures. In order to avoid congestion at Queen's Pier, masters of spectator vessels are encouraged to use the Lung Wui Road landing steps located at a very close distance east of the pier. All vessels approaching the Restricted Area before or during the fireworks display, and vessels dispersing from the viewing positions after the display should proceed at a safe speed (generally not exceeding 5 knots); maintain proper lookout; and avoid using searchlights that will obstruct lookouts and affect safe navigation of other vessels. Before a voyage, coxswains or masters should ensure passengers aboard know where to find and how to use life saving appliances; all children wear lifejackets; and a passenger list be prepared in case of emergencies. The carrying capacity of a vessel must not be exceeded. Small vessels, in particular those with no decking or of less than five metres in length, are advised not to proceed into or remain in the central harbour area during the period of the event. In areas of high traffic density such small vessels are vulnerable to the wash from larger vessels and are not easily detected by larger vessels with higher freeboard. To assist in landward crowd control, all public piers and landing steps within the Restricted Area will be closed from 7 pm to 9 pm. Small craft are advised to make use of other public landing facilities during the closure period. Due to high demand of landing facilities within the restricted area soon after the reopening of the landing facilities, it is inevitable that delay will be experienced at all public landing facilities in the central harbour area. If possible, masters should use landing areas away from the central harbour for disembarkation. Emergency assistance can be sought from the MD through VHF radio on channel16 (call sign "Hong Kong Rescue"); from Marine Regional Command and Control Centre by dialing 2803 6240, 2803 6241 or 999; or by issuing appropriate distress signals. In the event of inclement weather, the fireworks display may be postponed to February 3 (Monday), starting at the same time with the same traffic arrangements as set out above. For details of marine traffic arrangements, please read Marine Department Notice No.14 of 2003 at http://www.gov.hk/mardep/index.htm End/Monday, January 27, 2003
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