It follows a warning from the United States to its allies that the al-Qaeda terrorist network controlled at least 15 cargo vessels which were carrying dangerous substances. It is proving difficult to track these ships down.

The International Maritime Organisation, which oversees global shipping issues, has announced a set of measures that its members must take to guard against terrorist attacks. They must assess the risks at their port facilities and then draft, scrutinise and approve security plans for ports and ships. They were also asked to deploy sufficient qualified security officers to enforce the plans.

Hong Kong, which has more than 200,000 vessels using its port facilities each year, will have to meet the requirements before the deadline in July next year.

It already requires incoming vessels to report relevant information to the Marine Department 24 hours before entering port, and vessels bound for the US from Hong Kong will be required to file their manifests to the US Customs authorities within 24 hours of departure from Feburary 2.

In an interview with the South China Morning Post, Director of Marine Tsui Shung-yiu said an inter-departmental meeting had been held this month to explain the new security requirements to officials from different departments.

'The economy will be hurt if these measures are not in place by that time. Other ports might reject Hong Kong-registered ships and vessels from our ports if there are no such approved security plans in place.'

Mr Tsui said Hong Kong needed a competent authority which should have an intelligence network and forces to oversee and co-ordinate maritime security.

He said the Marine Department had not been asked to track down terrorists' ships or to provide ship registration information to the US. 'We are not capable of doing this as we simply aren't given any kind of intelligence,' he said. At present, various departments including the police, Marine Department, Customs, Fire Services, and Immigration are responsible for their own areas in managing ports and ships.

Mr Tsui said the Marine Department would be responsible for security at government-run port facilities including cross-border ferry terminals. But the government and private operators had yet to decide who would be responsible for security at privately owned port facilities including container, cruise ship, oil tanker, and river trade terminals.

He said they would soon send a senior officer overseas for security training. Legislative amendments, if necessary, might also be required to implement the measures, he said.

A spokeswoman for Modern Terminals, one of Hong Kong's biggest port operators, said the company was aware of the International Maritime Organisation requirements and was carrying out an in-house study on port security, including risk assessment and co-operation with other container terminals.

'We have been looking at these issues since last year and there is already an established channel to discuss the matter with the government,' she said.

WHAT HAS TO BE DONE

Risks must be assessed at ports, and security plans drafted, scrutinised and approved

Sufficient qualified security officers must be employed to enforce the plans.

Hong Kong will be required to meet these requirements before the deadline in July next year.