https://www.scmp.com/rss/523739/feed The latest news and top stories on the Marine Department. A Hong Kong-based governmental body, the Marine Department is dedicated to promoting excellence in marine services, ensuring the safety and environmental protection of the Port of Hong Kong. Its main areas of focus include facilitating safe and efficient movement of vessels, administering the Hong Kong Shipping Register and enforcing marine regulations. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Wynna Wong Wynna Wong A barge carrying recycled metal caught fire at Hong Kong’s New Yau Ma Tei Public Cargo Working Area early on Friday, marking the second such blaze at the site in less than a week and prompting renewed calls from a lawmaker for stronger safety measures. The Fire Services Department said it received a report at 4.19am that a fire had broken out on a barge moored near the cargo area along Hoi Fai Road. A spokesman said firefighters had launched a marine and land operation to put out the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3342616/barge-catches-fire-yau-ma-tei-cargo-area-second-case-less-week?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3342616/barge-catches-fire-yau-ma-tei-cargo-area-second-case-less-week?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 05:57:28 +0000 Fiona Chow Fiona Chow Relatives of the 39 victims in one of Hong Kong’s deadliest maritime disasters expressed anger after the coroner overseeing an inquest said it was “impractical and unrealistic” for them to expect inspectors could have spotted a missing watertight door if they had examined the ship’s structural drawings. Coroner Monica Chow Wai-choo said on Thursday, the second day of the verdict, that the Marine Department’s officers would not have detected the missing watertight door on the underdeck of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3340878/outrageous-families-hong-kong-ferry-crash-victims-fume-over-coroners-remarks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3340878/outrageous-families-hong-kong-ferry-crash-victims-fume-over-coroners-remarks?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 12:41:33 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk Thai marine park officials are on the hunt for a visitor who was caught on camera feeding a plastic wristband to a sea turtle. If caught, the culprit could be looking at a fine and even jail time. A tourist who had visited Mu Ko Similan National Park sent a message to the park’s social media page on Saturday to report on the visitor’s action, according to the Bangkok Post. The tourist said that while snorkelling in the park around Islands 5 and 6, the visitor was seen offering a yellow plastic... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3334048/visitor-thailand-who-fed-turtle-plastic-wristband-sought-park-officials?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3334048/visitor-thailand-who-fed-turtle-plastic-wristband-sought-park-officials?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Nov 2025 05:52:29 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok A man has drowned after jumping off a boat that had run aground and started to list during a fishing trip in the waters off Hong Kong’s eastern New Territories. The angler, 47, and his friend set off along Lam Tsuen River aboard a seven-metre-long (23-foot-long) sampan at around 10.30pm on Monday during the Mid-Autumn Festival and headed for the waters off Lo Fu Wat in Tolo Channel, about 12km (7.45 miles) east. A source said the pair fished together every couple of months and were familiar with... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3328143/man-drowns-after-jumping-unstable-boat-during-hong-kong-fishing-trip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3328143/man-drowns-after-jumping-unstable-boat-during-hong-kong-fishing-trip?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Oct 2025 11:31:30 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok Sea patrol officers from Hong Kong’s Marine Department will start using body cameras from Tuesday to help them perform their duties more effectively. Frontline officers of the harbour patrol section across all districts would be fully equipped with the devices to help in investigations, evidence collection and documenting maritime conditions during major events at sea for safety purposes, a department spokesman said on Monday. Other government departments that have equipped frontline officers... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3316413/hong-kong-sea-patrol-officers-use-body-cameras-help-investigations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3316413/hong-kong-sea-patrol-officers-use-body-cameras-help-investigations?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Jun 2025 12:16:04 +0000