Pilotage Service

Pilots play an important role by helping shipmasters to navigate safely
within Hong Kong waters. Ships of 3 000 gross registered tonnes (GRT)
or more and all gas carriers are required to engage a pilot. There are 83
licensed pilots who provide pilotage services through a private company.

The Director of Marine is the authority regulating and monitoring the
pilotage service. He achieves this through the assistance of the Pilotage
Advisory Committee, the membership of which covers a wide spectrum
of port users and shipping interests.

A new pilot boarding station (PBS), Ngan Chau PBS, was established at
the outer entrance of the East Lamma Channel in December 1996, and
ships of 40 000 GRT and over are required to pick up pilots at Ngan Chau
PBS. This obligation was extended to ships of 20 000 GRT in December
1997. It is expected all ships under compulsory pilotage will pick up pilots
at Ngan Chau PBS by the end of 1998.

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