CT9 delays a worry for liner group

THE Hong Kong Liner Shipping Association is becoming increasingly concerned at the lack of progress on the development of Container Terminal 9 (CT9).

At its annual meeting this week, outgoing chairman Terence Sit said the development of CT9 and the minimising of congestion and under-capacity at the existing terminals at Kwai Chung were issues which must be dealt if Hong Kong was to retain its strong position as a trading port.

He said the association also felt the contribution of the mid-stream operation could not be ignored and called for a balanced policy for port development which should provide adequate facilities for both types of operation and not attempt to force all traffic into shore-side terminals In his report to the meeting, Mr Sit said the association had expressed its concern throughout last year at delays in the development of CT9, both in the media and in meetings with the Marine Department and Port Development Board officials.

He said the issue also was raised during the visit by a Hong Kong shipping industry delegation to Beijing.

''Unfortunately, at this time there is still no clear indication of any progress on the development of CT9, and the association will need to continue to monitor this issue and make its views known whenever possible,'' he said.

Association members visited ports in the Shenzhen area in April and made contact with the Shenzhen port authorities.

The development of ports in the Pearl River delta, and their likely impact on Hong Kong also was being closely watched and discussed by the association's executive committee on a regular basis, he said.