Ferry delays

ABOUT 27,000 vessels were delayed for more than five minutes at the Hong Kong-China Ferry Terminal last year, the Government revealed.

In a written reply to legislators, officials said the delays were due to ferries not arriving as scheduled and therefore missing their allotted berthing slots.

Such delays were most frequent during peak morning and evening hours.

But the situation would improve in October when three new berths would be completed.

The Government said the Hong Kong-China Ferry Terminal would reach capacity by 2001.

An inter-departmental working group under the Planning Department is identifying a suitable site for a new terminal, to be completed before 2001.