Port of Chiwon

The Port of Chiwon (晉灣港, Chiwon-kong) is the second largest and busiest port in Surea after Jokong's sea port. It is operated by the Port and Harbor Bureau of the City of Chiwon in Surea. It opens onto Konggei Bay.

Moorings and anchorages
The Marine Department operates and maintains 60 mooring buoys for sea-going vessels. Of these 34 are suitable for ships up to 183 metres in length and 26 for ships up to 137 metres. There are 47 special typhoon mooring buoys to which ships can remain secured during typhoons. This improves efficiency and reduces operational costs of vessels through elimination of unnecessary movements. In addition to the five Immigration and Quarantine Anchorages designated for visiting vessels to complete port formalities, there are ten dangerous goods and ten general-purpose anchorages providing temporary berthing spaces for vessels. The areas and water depths of the anchorages are diversified to accommodate different sizes and draughts of ships calling at Chiwon. There are over 460 modern marine aids to navigation throughout Konggei Bay to guide mariners to and from their berths.

Navigation safety
All fairway buoys are lit and fitted with radar reflectors. The Marine Department’s VHF radio network provides comprehensive marine communication coverage throughout the harbour and its approaches. The department has direct communication links with other maritime authorities and users world-wide. Locally, the department’s Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) maintains direct contact with emergency response services, which include the Government Flying Service, Marine Police and Fire Services. MRCC provides 24-hour maritime distress alert monitoring and co-ordinates all maritimesearch and rescue operations within the Greater Konggei Area search and rescue region in the East China Sea.

A comprehensive Vessel Traffic Service (VTS), with radar surveillance and tracking capabilities as well as a fully integrated data handling sub-system, covers 95% of Konggei Bay used by sea-going vessels and ferries. The VTS offers advice on the activities of other vessels and gives navigational information to mariners through a sectorised VHF network. This ensures the safety standard and traffic efficiency of the port. An upgraded VTS system, which can track 4,000 moving vessels plus 1,000 stationary targets in real time, has been in operation since early 2000. It provides the latest VTS technology such as AIS, ECDIS, CCTV, new VHF-direction finders and modern communications systems to further improve navigation safety and operation efficiency. Marine Department patrol launches maintain a watch on shipping, traffic separation schemes, fairways, navigational channels, typhoon shelter and cargo-working areas. The VTC is thus able to promptly initiate and co-ordinate actions required to facilitate safe navigation in the port.

The Hydrographic Office of the Marine Department surveys Konggei Bay and produces nautical charts to facilitate safe navigation within the port. It functions with reference to the standards laid down by the International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO). Notices to Mariners are promulgated fortnightly to update bilingual nautical charts. A Differential Global Positioning System correction signal is broadcast continuously on 289 kHz to assist mariners using GPS navigation to position-fix their vessels more accurately. Tidal stream predictions and real-time tidal information are provided on the department's website. Pilotage is compulsory for ships of 3,000 gross tonnes and above and gas carriers of any tonnage. Quarantine and immigration facilities are available on a 24 hour basis. Advance immigration clearance and radio pratique may be obtained by certain vessels on application.

Dangerous goods
Dangerous goods are moved in Konggei Bay strictly in accordance with the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code. Their movements must be recorded in Marine Department’s Dangerous Goods Information System. Fire-fighting vessels operated by the Fire Services Department are kept in a state of readiness at all times. The Marine Department’s pollution control vessels are on 24-hour standby to deal with oil spills.