Press release: Expansion of Aberdeen Harbour
新聞稿：擴展香港仔避風塘
新聞稿：擴展香港仔避風塘
2014年3月31日
今日南區區議會將討論「擴展香港仔避風塘」。
直至2013年年底，本港共有19,000艘船隻，包括8,491艘遊艇。但是，供船隻使用的安全停泊及繫泊位估計只有少於5,000個。安全繫泊位短缺的情況日益嚴重，直接影響了海事相關行業的發展空間，包括造船、修船、船隻銷售、零件和部件製造及保險等行業。
另外，船隻繫泊位的價錢已升至普通市民不能負擔的地步。只有超級富豪才能為遊艇取得泊位。泊位租上租的二手市場價格已升至超過每月兩萬元。這個現象導致船隻擁有率下降，減少入行船手的數目。這與海事處觀察到的情況一樣：缺乏熟悉海事行情及具經驗的管理層。
現時香港仔避風塘有344個私人繫泊位及99個會所繫泊位供遊艇使用。然而，根據海事處提供的最新數據，於2013年9月21日颱風天兔襲港期間，停泊於香港仔避風塘的遊艇數目有550艘。這意味著有107艘遊艇在缺乏安全及適當的泊位下於避風塘內避難。
業界已於2013年4月30日進行了請願活動，單一訴求為：「立即解決船隻泊位不足問題」。新聞稿：www.moorings.hk 。
南區區議員及創建香港行政總裁司馬文促請政府進行擴展香港仔避風塘的技術性研究，以便確定其成本及效益。（見上圖）
司馬文說：「政府應馬上認真研究增加船隻泊位，並正視擴展香港仔避風塘能為海事相關行業帶來的經濟效益及好處。」他續說：「擴展避風塘是很簡單的事宜，只需將防波堤向外移便能將香港仔避風塘擴大一半及增加1000個小型船隻泊位。」
連結：
海事處回應南區區議會的文件 2014年3月 – http://goo.gl/lpzZ9f
南區區議員司馬文遞交的議程文件 2014年3月 – http://goo.gl/7xfUks
Press release: Expansion of Aberdeen Harbour
31 March 2014
Today, Southern District Council will discuss ‘The Expansion of Aberdeen Harbour’
As 201, there are over 19,000 vessels in Hong Kong, including 8,491 pleasure vessels. However, total number of sheltered berthing and moorings is only less than 5,000. This shortage in safe berthing and mooring is growing day by day and is limiting the economic development of marine-related industries, including ship-repairing/building, sales of vessels, spare parts and component manufacturing, insurance, etc.
Another major implication is that the cost of mooring has become unaffordable for the common person in Hong Kong. Only the ultra rich can have access to marinas and the cost of moorings sublet in the private market have risen to over HK$20,000/month. This costs restricts private boat ownership and is resulting in a lack of labour skilled in marine activities. This is consistent with the observations by Marine Department which has found it difficult to hire management with marine experience.
There are 344 private moorings and 99 club moorings in Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter for pleasure vessels. However, in the latest statistics provided by MD, the total number of vessels seen in the shelter on 21 September 2013 during Typhoon Usagi was 550, meaning an additional 107 pleasure vessels sought refuge at the shelter without safe and proper moorings.
A petition was held on 30 April 2013 with the industries united in one simple message – ‘Safe Moorings NOW!’. See press release at www.moorings.hk .
Paul Zimmerman, Southern District Councillor and CEO of Designing Hong Kong, has urged the government to commission a feasibility study to ascertain the feasibility, costs and benefits of expanding the Aberdeen Typhoon Shelters. (see picture above)
‘It is time for the government to look seriously into the failure to provide adequate safe moorings, and the benefits to the economic benefits of growing marine related industries by expanding Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter.’ says Paul. He adds ‘It is simple to create sheltered waters in Hong Kong for boats, all we need to do is to move the breakwaters and enlarge the Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter by 50% to accommodate 1,000 small vessels.’
Links:
Marine Department’s response to the SDC – March 2014 – http://goo.gl/ih89Nm
Southern District Councillor Paul Zimmerman’s agenda item to the council – March 2014 – http://goo.gl/1MTk0k