Sea Parade on 1 July 2017

Tuesday, June 27, 2017, Hong Kong

A flag raising ceremony will be held at 0800 hours on 1 July 2017 at the Golden Bauhinia Square outside the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR.

During the ceremony, a sea parade made up of launches of the disciplinary services will proceed from Causeway Bay to HKCEC between 0745 hours and 0805 hours, and display water jets off HKCEC at 0800 hours.

Masters, coxswains and persons-in-charge of all vessels navigating in the vicinity should proceed with caution and give a wide berth to the parade fleet.

(For information about operations in Hong Kong contact GAC Hong Kong at shipping.hongkong@gac.com)

Source: Government of Hong Kong SAR Marine Department Notice No.86 of 2017

Fireworks display to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Special Administrative Region

Tuesday, June 27, 2017, Hong Kong

A fireworks display will take place in the Central Harbour, in an area off Wan Chai, at 2000 hours on Saturday, 1 July 2017.

The fireworks will be discharged from five barges anchored in a straight line at the following positions (WGS 84 Datum):

(a) 22 deg. 17.279’N / 114 deg. 10.061’E

(b) 22 deg. 17.279’N / 114 deg. 10.198’E

(c) 22 deg. 17.279’N / 114 deg. 10.335’E

(d) 22 deg. 17.279’N / 114 deg. 10.472’E

(e) 22 deg. 17.279’N / 114 deg. 10.610’E

A Closed Area will be established around the barges between 1400 hours and about 2300 hours on the event day with the following details:

(i) The area is formed by four straight lines joining the following positions (WGS 84 Datum):

(ii) The Closed Area will be closed to all marine traffic, except craft directly involved in the fireworks display, Government launches and vessels with special permission from the Director of Marine (to be collectively called excepted vessels) during the aforesaid period.

(1) 22 deg. 17.366’N / 114 deg. 09.960’E

(2) 22 deg. 17.366’N / 114 deg. 10.715’E

(3) 22 deg. 17.192’N / 114 deg. 10.715’E

(4) 22 deg. 17.192’N / 114 deg. 09.960’E

A Restricted Area will be established in the Central Harbour from 1900 hours to about 2115 hours on the event day with the following details:

(i) The Eastern Cordon Line (ECL) of the Restricted Area is a straight line joining the south extremity of MTR Hung Hom Freight Terminal Pier and the breakwater at Kellett Island, Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club. The Western Cordon Line (WCL) of the Restricted Area is a straight line joining the southwest extremity of the Ocean Terminal and the Central Government Pier.

(ii) No vessels, other than the excepted vessels, will be allowed to enter or remain within the Restricted Area.

To minimize head-on encounters of vessels after the fireworks display, the Restricted Area will be lifted in stages by lifting the WCL at about 2100 hours. The ECL will be lifted later depending on the traffic condition in the Central Harbour. It is anticipated that the Restricted Area will be completely lifted at about 2115 hours on the event day. To combat vessels proceeding at excessive speed in the Central Harbour, the Marine Police and Marine Department will deploy laser gun and interception teams on the event day.

Vessels intending to navigate in the Central Harbour after the fireworks display should pay special attention to the establishment of three Buffer Zones at Kowloon Public Pier, Kwun Tong Public Pier, Central Piers 9 and 10 and the associated marine traffic control measures.

In the event of inclement weather and emergency, the fireworks display may be postponed to the fallback date of Sunday, 2 July 2017, at 2000 hours, with the same control measures as aforementioned.

(For information about operations in Hong Kong contact GAC Hong Kong at shipping.hongkong@gac.com)

Source: Government of Hong Kong SAR Marine Department Notice No.90 of 2017

Bosphorus Sailing Cup

Tuesday, June 27, 2017, Turkish Straits, Turkey

Traffic in the Bosphorus will be suspended from 11:00 to 16:00 hours local time on Saturday (1 July) due to the staging of the Bosphorus Sailing Cup.

For information about operations in the Turkish Straits contact GAC Istanbul at turkey@gac.com

Source GAC