The Government is proposing amendments to the Pilotage Ordinance to relocate an existing Pilot Boarding Station (PBS) from an area off Green Island to an area off Ha Mei Wan, west of Lamma Island.

A Marine Department spokesman today (Tuesday) said that at present most vessels made use of the East Lamma Channel to enter or leave Hong Kong while a small number of them sailed through the West Lamma Channel.

"Vessels making use of the East Lamma Channel will embark or disembark pilots at the Ngan Chau PBS, while those using the West Lamma Channel have to cross over to the East Lamma Channel to use the Green Island PBS," he said.

The purpose of setting up a PBS to the west of Lamma Island to replace the Green Island PBS is to enable vessels to enter and leave Hong Kong via the West Lamma Channel more efficiently and safely.

"Vessels using the West and East Lamma Channels will be segregated to avoid crossing traffic," the spokesman said.

The Pilotage Ordinance(Amendment of Schedule 2)Notice 1999, together with the Pilotage(Dues)(Amendment)Order which imposes an additional pilotage due payable for the service where a pilot is required to board a ship or disembark from a ship at the new PBS, will be gazetted this Friday (June 25).

Meanwhile, the Government is also proposing to amend the Pilotage Ordinance to reduce the rates of certain pilotage dues between now and the end of 2000.

The Pilotage Advisory Committee, comprising representatives from the Hong Kong Liner Shipping Association and the Hong Kong Pilots Association, reviews pilotage dues annually.

The committee's latest review proposed the following revisions:-

1. for vessels with a gross registered tonnage of 30,000 tons or above, a reduction of 0.25 cents per ton in the tonnage charge, from the existing 6.5 cents per ton to 6.25 cents per ton, subject to a minimum charge of $1,950; and
2. a reduction of $200 in the additional pilotage dues for pilots boarding or disembarking from the Ngan Chau PBS, from the existing $2,100 to $1,900.

Tuesday 22 June, 1999