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Hongkong International Terminals (ID: 10863)
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HIT operates Container Terminals 4, 6, 7, 9 and 8 East (joint-venture with COSCO) at the Kwai Chung Container Port. A continuous quay length of over five km provides for 14 ship berths and up to nine barge berths served by 51 quay cranes (capable of handling the latest container vessels) and four rail-mounted jib cranes and one harbour crane. Adjacent container storage is handled by 24 rail-mounted gantry cranes and 124 rubber-tyred gantry cranes. The Hongkong International Distribution Centre located at Container Terminal 4 with over 377,000 square metres of floor space also houses HIT's own container freight station operations. At the heart of all operations, HIT's advanced Terminal Management System is becoming increasingly customer-focused to ensure shipping lines receive world-class service. HIT FACT SHEET FOLLOWS: Facilities Terminals 4, 6 & 7 Terminal 8 East Terminal 9 Total Area (hectares) 92 30 19 Ship Berths 10 2 2 Barge Berths 4 4-5 - Ship Berth Length (ft) 9,797 2,099 2,296 (m) 2,987 640 700 Barge Berth Length (ft) 1,000 1,469 - (m) 305 448 - Minimum Depth Alongside (ft) 41.0 - 51.0 51.0 51.0 (m) 12.5 - 15.5 15.5 15.5 Equipment Quay Cranes 33 9 9 Rail Mounted Jib Cranes 4 - * Rubber Tyred Gantry Cranes 92 32 * Rail Mounted Gantry Cranes 24 - * Harbour Cranes 0 1 * Bridge Cranes 12 - * Frontloaders (empty) 14 2 * Frontloaders (laden) 5 1 * Hong Kong International Distribution Centre Safety in the face of typhoons. A proactive approach to safety policy and emergency planning. And a range of popular awards, competitions and information. These are all part of HIT's drive towards providing a safe and healthy working environment for its employees, contractors and visitors. Find out how we conduct our operations and activities in a manner that protects human safety and health. Typhoon Measures Safety & Health Policy Safety Measures Typhoon Measures "Imagine the impact on Hong Kong's economy if its container port shut down. HIT is committed to ensuring this never occurs." Typhoons can bring devastating gusts exceeding 220kph, bringing enormous damage to equipment and major disruption to customers. HIT remains fully prepared. Operations gradually wind down, keeping operations running for as long as possible to minimize effects on HIT customers. When the number 1 standby signal is hoisted, HIT triggers its monitoring mechanism by maintaining a close contact with the Hong Kong Observatory to keep track of the tropical cyclone /typhoon and prepares to secure its container yard and equipment. Continuous weather-related information is sent by the Hong Kong Observatory. On-site wind-monitoring equipment measures local wind speeds at HIT terminals. If speeds exceed 60kph, an alarm signals for containers and yard equipment to be secured. When the number 3 strong wind signal is hoisted and there is an indication from the Hong Kong Observatory that Hong Kong would be affected by the tropical cyclone/typhoon, HIT phases in its precautionary measures that include scheduling on-berth vessels to stop work and leave the Terminal for shelters, announcing to the public the time when the Terminal will close and securing the container yard and equipment before a higher signal is hoisted. Stacks of containers are leveled out, as protruding containers are more susceptible to damage. Ships move away from berths. Quayside cranes are firmly secured and yard cranes are moved to designated positions and anchored. Each of the potential 90,000 containers is shackled to the one beneath. Container stacks are made rigid with special fittings. Securing the terminal takes hundreds of workers and a minimum of 16 hours. Continuous weather-related information is obtained from the Hong Kong Observatory. On-site wind-monitoring equipment measures local wind speeds at HIT terminals. If speeds exceed 60kph, an alarm will be activated to alert people in the container yard. When the number 8 signal is hoisted, HIT will cease all terminal operations. When the number 8 signal is changed to a lower signal and wind speeds return to safe levels, the HIT teams ensure lashings are dropped, containers are unshackled, equipment is replaced, gates are opened and ships are berthed. Working closely with the Police and Transport Department, HIT uses a dedicated communications system and CCTV to ensure traffic congestion following a typhoon is minimized. Safety and Health Policy Extensive use of heavy-duty lifting plant and container trucks raises obvious safety issues. HIT has made it a priority to provide a safe working environment to all employees, contractors and terminal users. Safety Management System HIT has a comprehensive Safety Management System driven by a two-tier committee comprising: The Safety Steering Committee, made up of senior HIT executives and full-time safety practitioners. The Safety Committee, made up of nominated members of the workforce. The ultimate objective of HIT's Safety Management System is to prevent injury and ill health in the workplace. Explicit safety rules and regulations cover the following: High-risk work processes Fire precautionary measures Handling, transporting and storage of dangerous chemicals Emergencies are a key issue. HIT recognizes that proper emergency plans are essential and written emergency procedures cover a variety of potential hazards, including fire, typhoon, explosion, power failure, computer break-down and accidents causing injury. Our Safety Record HIT's safety record has improved steadily. The accident rate in terms the number of accidents per 100,000 TEUs has decreased by 46% since 1996. HIT is making every effort to maintain this momentum. Safety and Health Policy Our Safety Steering Committee drew up the comprehensive HIT Safety and Health Policy that sets out key objectives and principles. Click here to find out more. Safety Measures HIT does more than enforce safety rules. It provides information and encourages widespread participation in safety initiatives. Here are some examples of HIT in action. Safety Training HIT is accredited as a provider of mandatory safety training in the container terminal industry. As of March 2001, HIT had issued more than 4,500 safety training certificates. Accident Statistics Board This eye-catching panel at the main entrance to HIT provides information on our safety performance. A great way to remind terminal users to be mindful about safety. Safety Bulletin Published since 1996, our quarterly in-house safety journal covers safety management, accident case studies, health and safety news, and includes special features. Safety Competitions An Inter-Company safety quiz has been a major annual event since for promoting safety in HIT. And a competition for safe operation of forklift trucks in 2000 aimed at promoting safety awareness and skill among drivers. Articulated Vehicle Safety Campaign Carnival and The Commissioner For Transport Trophy HIT has participated actively in community-wide safety promotional events. The Articulated Vehicle Safety Campaign Carnival and The Commissioner For Transport Trophy held in 1999 is just one example, and a particular success. Click here to find out more about this and other community safety initiatives. Hong Kong is one of the largest ports in the world. Its long maritime tradition started in the mid 19th century. But it was a 1966 report on containerisation that suggested Kwai Chung should be Hong Kong's purpose-built container terminal. Construction of the first three terminals began in 1970. In 1974, work on Terminal 4 commenced on behalf of Hongkong International Terminals. Containerisation cut vessel turnaround times dramatically and the new container yards developed new systems for loading, disembarking and transporting containers. Through the innovative use of systems and technology the Kwai Chung container terminal operators led the world in space usage and productivity. With China's open-door economic policies, the Hong Kong Port rode the waves of containerisation and Chinese economic growth. It expanded significantly with Terminals 4, 6, 7 and 8 while throughput at both Kwai Chung and HIT reached new peaks. By 1987, Hong Kong was number one in the world container league, handling almost half of Hong Kong's throughput. The 1990s saw continued growth and also the establishment of a unique kind of container handling mode in Hong Kong known as midstream operations. Midstream operations contribute to the service flexibility of the Port of Hong Kong by offering smaller container ships the ability to lie at secure buoys in the harbour and be unloaded by barge. In 1996, construction started on the River Trade Terminal. At Kwai Chung, construction of Terminal 9 commenced in 2000. The year 2000 was another banner year with double-digit growth in port throughput. Today, with over 80 international shipping lines providing 460 weekly container services to more than 170 ports worldwide, Hong Kong dwarfs its rivals. New forces are at work. The integration of Kwai Chung into the network of South China ports, expansion of midstream and river trade operations, supported by sophisticated and electronically delivered logistics services, continue to make Hong Kong a sea-trade logistics hub. The Government of the Hong Kong SAR is now looking to create a comprehensive sea, air, land and logistics services plan for Hong Kong. In line with the Government's plan to develop Hong Kong as a logistics centre, the Hong Kong Container Terminal Operators Association (HKCTOA) was recently established to promote the Port of Hong Kong as the key container port in the region. The commitment of Government and private industry to the ongoing development of the port and logistics services will ensure that Hong Kong remains a pivotal link in regional commerce for years to come. The Hongkong International Distribution Centre located at Container Terminal 4 with over 377,000 square metres of floor space also houses HIT's own .. Hongkong International Terminals