>Press Releases Home > Publications and press releases > Press Releases Marine traffic banned from central harbour for fireworks competition The central area of Victoria Harbour will be closed to marine traffic from 7pm to 9pm on two consecutive Sundays, October 5 and 12, for the Hong Kong International Musical Fireworks Competition. The Marine Department will implement the traffic measures in conjunction with the Marine Police and the Fire Services Department to ensure safety and smooth traffic at sea. "On the two Sundays, fireworks will be fired from four barges off Wan Chai starting at about 8pm," a Marine Department spokesman said today (October 2). "The surrounding waters will be closed from 2pm to 10pm to all marine traffic, except craft directly involved in the fireworks display, government launches and other authorised vessels." From 7pm to 9pm , the traffic ban will be extended to cover all of the central harbour. Unauthorised vessels will be prohibited from entering or remaining in the Restricted Area, which is bounded on the east by a straight 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 Ocean Terminal and the Central Government Pier. All vessels approaching the Restricted Area before or during the fireworks competition, and vessels dispersing from the viewing positions after the display, should proceed at a safe speed (generally not exceeding five knots); maintain a proper lookout; and avoid using searchlights that may interfere with proper lookouts and affect safe operation of other vessels. Before a voyage, coxswains or masters should ensure that passengers know where to find and how to use life saving appliances; that all children are wearing lifejackets; and that a passenger list has been prepared in the event of emergencies. Vessels must not exceed their carrying capacity. Small vessels, in particular those with no decking or less than five metres in length, are advised not to proceed into or remain in the central harbour area during the event periods. 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 high 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 for landing facilities within the Restricted Area soon after 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. To ensure orderly disembarkation of passengers after the events, a sterile area will be set up at Queen's Pier and at Kowloon Public Pier from around 8.05pm till the end of the operations. The two sterile areas will include water areas 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. For emergency assistance, contact the Marine Department through VHF radio on channel 16 (call sign "Hong Kong Rescue"); the Marine Regional Command and Control Centre at 2803 6240, 2803 6241 or 999; or issue appropriate distress signals. In the event of inclement weather, the displays may be postponed to the following Sundays, starting at the same time with the same marine traffic arrangements. For details of marine traffic arrangements, please read Marine Department Notice No.131 of 2003 at http://www.mardep.gov.hk End/Thursday, October 2, 2003
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