The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, visited the Marine Department (MD) today (August 24) to meet with the management and frontline staff to understand the department's work including monitoring marine traffic, co-ordinating marine rescue operations, repairing and maintaining government vessels as well as maritime training.
　　Mrs Yeung, together with the Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Clement Leung, was briefed by the Director of Marine, Ms Carol Yuen, and directorate staff on the department's operation and latest developments. They also met with staff representatives from various grades to exchange views on matters that concern them.
　　Mrs Yeung then visited the Vessel Traffic Centre (VTC) at the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal to see for herself how the VTC maintains surveillance over Hong Kong navigable waters through the third generation of the vessel traffic services system. At the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre, duty officers introduced to her the co-ordination work during search and rescue operations upon receipt of distress reports from vessels in Hong Kong waters and the South China Sea.
　　Mrs Yeung said while the world is under the influence of extreme weather, and inclement weather can easily lead to maritime incidents, the MD has to integrate its professional knowledge and make good use of information technology to ensure maritime traffic and port safety.
　　She also visited the Government Dockyard on Stonecutters Island to learn more about the repair and maintenance work of government vessels. During her tour, Mrs Yeung also visited the Marine Department Training Centre and was briefed by a duty officer on the marine training provided to the department's staff, including training through computer-based simulation systems which could simulate different marine traffic and emergency situations.
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