SHIPS and ferries using heavily congested shipping lanes near Ma Wan face a new hazard from May when access will be restricted for two days a week.
The measures are being imposed for about a year to allow contractors to fix massive steel decks for the $8.8 billion Kap Shui Mun and Tsing Ma bridge projects.
The Marine Department's senior marine officer, John Lambourn, said the Kap Shui Mun channel would be totally closed one day a week from May 27 while deck sections are floated in by barge and hoisted into position.
Restrictions in the Ma Wan channel will begin from June 22. Shipping lanes will remain open to all vessels except those being guided by pilot. But ships and ferries will have to take extra care to avoid contractors' boats and barges working in the middle of the channel.
'We don't anticipate too many difficulties, but there will be a bit of disruption, particularly for ships and ferries using the Kap Shui Mun channel because it is the shortest way,' Mr Lambourn said.
The Kap Shui Mun channel will be closed because it is too narrow to allow vessels to pass through safely while bridge work is being done.
'There is no space left over,' Mr Lambourn said. He explained that Marine Police and department launches will be at the channel entrance to divert boats.