>Press Releases Home > Publications and press releases > Press Releases Fireworks spectators on boats urged to be aware of safety Members of the public who wish to view the 2000 Lunar New Year Day Fireworks Display this Sunday (February 6) on vessels are reminded that they should hire appropriate vessels to ensure safety and sufficient protection. A spokesman for the Marine Department (MD) today (Monday) reiterated that pleasure vessels were not permitted by law to be used for commercial purposes and therefore spectators should not hire these vessels for watching the fireworks display. During the fireworks display, the MD, Marine Police (Marpol) and the Fire Services Department (FSD) will jointly implement a series of marine traffic arrangements in Victoria Harbour to ensure safety. The fireworks will be discharged from four barges, two of them anchoring side-by-side, at three firing points in Central Victoria Harbour off Wan Chai starting at 8 pm. In the event of inclement weather, the display may be postponed to February 7 (Monday), starting at the same time. The spokesman said that an area encompassing the fireworks display barges would be established as a closed area between 3 pm and 10 pm. "This area will be closed to all marine traffic except craft directly involved in the fireworks display, Government launches and other vessels approved by the Director of Marine," he said. He added that from 7 pm to about 9 pm, Central Victoria Harbour would be designated a restricted area. The restricted area is bounded on the east side by a straight line joining Hung Hom Railway Station Cargo Pier and the breakwater at Kellet Island, Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club. The western boundary is a straight line joining the southwest extremity of the Ocean Terminal, Tsim Sha Tsui and the Central Government Pier. "During the effective period of restriction, no vessel other than Government launches, vessels directly involved in the fireworks display or those which have obtained permission from the Director of Marine will be allowed to enter or remain within the restricted area," the spokesman said. "Special permission will only be given to public transport vessels and those for the essential operation of the port, while applications from spectator vessels for viewing the display will not be entertained," he added. The spokesman advised coxswains of spectator vessels that waters to the west of the restricted area would not be a good viewing location due to rough sea and heavy traffic conditions. He suggested spectator vessels from the west to proceed to the east before the closure of Victoria Harbour at 7 pm. To facilitate crowd control on shore, landing steps at Queen's Pier, Lung King Street, Lung Wui Road, Kowloon Public Pier, Tsim Sha Tsui East promenade and Hung Hom Ferry East will be closed to marine traffic from 7 pm to 9 pm. The spokesman urged vessels, if possible, to use landing areas away from the central harbour for disembarkation. To ensure safe navigation and orderly disembarkation of passengers after the fireworks displays, two sterile areas will be set up at Queen's Pier (QP) and Kowloon Public Pier respectively to coincide with the reopening of the restricted area in central harbour. These two sterile areas will include the water areas fronting the respective piers and to a distance of about 90 metres offshore. They will be physically marked by MD and Marpol launches deployed to line up offshore. The spokesman said vessels intending to use the piers were required to wait at a designated gathering areas prior to berthing and, under the direction of MD and Marpol launches, vessels would only be permitted to enter the sterile areas from the east and depart from the west. "In order to avoid congestion at QP, masters and operators of spectator vessels are encouraged to use the Lung Wui Road landing steps which is located at a very close distance to the east of QP," he said. A Marine Department Notice No.13 of 2000 will be issued tomorrow (Tuesday) to give full details of the special marine traffic control measures. Free copies of the notice are available from the Central Marine Office on the third floor, Harbour Building, 38 Pier Road, Central and also from the MD Homepage on the Internet at http://www.info.gov.hk/mardep/index.htm. The spokesman also advised masters, owners and operators of small vessels, particularly those with no decking or those of less than five metres in length, that they should not proceed to or remain in the central harbour area in that evening because such vessels were vulnerable to the wash from larger vessels and were not easily detected by vessels with higher freeboard. Regarding safety measures of vessels during the 2000 Lunar New Year Fireworks Display, the spokesman advised coxswains of spectator vessels on the following: - 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 which should not generally exceed five knots; - Every vessel should at all times maintain a proper look-out, and take measures including switching off cabin lights to avoid obscuring the view of the look-out; - Searchlights should not be used on or from any vessel as the direction of such lights on other vessels will interfere with their keeping of a proper look-out and their safe operation; and - Vessels should not hurry to leave the viewing areas immediately after the display. He also advised masters, owners and operators of all vessels to take heed of the following measures before proceeding on a voyage: - All persons on board are aware of the location of all life saving appliances and that they know how to put on a lifejacket properly. A practical demonstration is recommended; - All children aboard wear lifejackets at all times; - A passenger list is prepared for the ready use of emergency services. This list should include the names of all passengers and crew on board, and should be kept by the master; and - The carrying capacity shown in the licence of a vessel is not exceeded. The spokesman pointed out that there would be a large number of MD, Marpol and FSD vessels identified by their flashing red or flashing blue lights either stationed or patrolling in the central harbour area. Masters should follow any instructions originated from these vessels. In the event that a vessel is in danger and requires assistance, its master can: - Call the Marine Department by very high frequency radio on channel 16 using the call sign "Hong Kong Rescue"; - Call the Marine Police on the telephone number 2803 6240 or 2803 6241; - Call 999; or - Indicate the need of assistance by using distress signals. Monday, 31 January 2000
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