Every day, six hundred vessels of all kinds enter the port of Hong Kong from all directions, joining the thirteen thousand locally based vessels. Last year, these vessels had carried 21 million passengers and 192 million tonnes of cargo, including 19 million TEUs of containers. There are 1,650 square kilometres of waters and 230 outlying islands within the territory. To ensure clear passage for navigation, the re-survey cycle has to be short and the surveying capacity is stretched to the limit. Top priority is given to fairways, anchorage and berths, which are always packed with vessels. There are two multi-beam-equipped survey launches and a small boat with single-beam for very shallow waters. Wherever the water depths exceed 3 metres, multi-beam survey is conducted. We have published eleven paper charts based on latest surveys. By early next year, the last four ENC cells will be ready and the whole territory will be fully covered by a total of fifteen cells.

We are still struggling with launches and equipment that were unsuitably chosen when the office was set up nine years ago. Had we infinite money flowing in, these expensive mistakes could be rectified. Unfortunately, reduction of budget is now a norm and we have to survive with what is being allotted. A choice may be made to trim down services according to allocated funds; however, this invites only further reduction, until no more blood flows in the veins. We believe that once fundamental and obligatory responsibilities are accomplished, there is always something extra that you can offer to customers. We make enquiries and listen to port users as to what sort of new service they need or wish to have, rather than just offering the existing ones in a conservative fashion.

We have recently been promulgating via our web-site (www.hydro.gov.hk) real-time tidal levels for critical areas (such as container terminals), territorial wide digital tidal stream predictions and tidal windows for the restricted transit of deep-draught vessels in narrow channels. The exact amount of time and money saved are hard to quantify; however, benefited port users are now addicted to it and it would be impossible to withdraw the service. We provide technical assistance to high-speed passenger ferry operators in designing and installing fleet tracking electronic charting systems, which naturally use our ENC products and DGPS broadcasting service. We also put together DGPS back-up systems using GPRS as redundant measures; and there are more projects in the pipeline. We are pleased to work together with the customers as we rely on each other to prosper. Such pleasure also comes from job satisfaction and from breaking through traditions. We have faith that a proactive and customer-oriented approach is by far the most effective way to safeguard business.

NG Kwok-chu, Hydrographer of the Hong Kong Hydrographic Office, Marine Department, Hong Kong SAR Government