Discovery Bay-to-Mui Wo ferry service to close
Operator of struggling service between Discovery Bay and Mui Wo says tougher safety standards make it impossible to keep going
Ferry services between Mui Wo and Discovery Bay will stop in November after the operator complained about "unreasonable" measures the Marine Department plans to impose following the Lamma ferry tragedy last October.
The director of Peng Chau Kaito, Ken Wong Hon-kuen, said yesterday that the department's new requirements on life jackets and the installation of an automatic identification system made him feel it was treating ferry operators like "criminals".
His comments came as the Legislative Council heard from representatives of the marine industry on proposed safety measures.
Weekday services, mainly serving schoolchildren, were reduced from five to two last year to cut costs. Wong said it had been difficult to maintain services and that the new measures would make operations more difficult.
The department is talking to the ferry operators about five measures to take effect soon. One requires vessels that carry more than 100 passengers to have a lookout on the bridge at night and in reduced visibility.
The boats will also have a master list so that every member of the crew is aware of their duties in case of emergency.
For all vessels, the number of crew required in specific emergency situations has to be taken into account in determining the minimum safe number of crew, the name of the vessel should be printed on every life jacket and watertight doors with alarms must be fitted to the wheelhouse.