>Press Releases Home > Publications and press releases > Press Releases Pilotage Order amended to raise standard of pilots The Director of Marine, after consultation with the Pilotage Advisory Committee, has amended the Pilotage Order made under the Pilotage Ordinance in order to raise the required experience of applicants for registration as a licensed pilot, a Marine Department spokesman said today (Thursday). Under Section 4(b) of the Pilotage Order, an apprentice pilot has to acquire appropriate experience specified in the First Schedule before he can apply for a pilot's licence. "Such experience is obtained when he accompanies licensed pilots to perform pilotage services in various berths, anchorages and major waterways," the spokesman said. Proposed changes to the First Schedule include requiring apprentice pilots to gain more experience as part of their training in handling large container ships transiting Ma Wan Channel, particularly at night, and in the berthing and unberthing of vessels at berths No. 11 to 14 of the Kwai Chung Container Terminals which have already come into operation. "On Tsing Yi Island, apart from the required berthing and unberthing experience at wharves and floating docks, apprentice pilots are required to obtain additional experience in handling small tankers at the Shell and China Resources Company wharves." "Also, they are required to have experience in berthing and unberthing of vessels at the three floating docks in Yam O, namely 'United', 'Yiu Lian No.3' and 'Yiu Lian No. 5' ," the spokesman said. However, he said that requirement for apprentice pilots to gain experience in berthing and unberthing passenger ferries using the China Ferry Terminal would be deleted from the First Schedule as pilotage exemption had been granted for those vessels since October 1995. He added that the petroleum wharf at Nga Ying Chau would also be deleted since it had been demolished and that the Union Carbide Wharf at Sham Tseng would be replaced by the name of the area "Lok On Pai". The proposed provisions of the Pilotage (Amendment) Order 1998, to be gazetted tomorrow (Friday), is intended to become effective on September 1. Thursday, July 16, 1998
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