Smoke cone at Outlying Islands Ferries Pier 5, Central, Hong Kong.

This is Outlying Islands Ferries Pier 5 in Central, Hong Kong, used by New World First Ferry Services Limited to serve the Hong Kong to Cheung Chau route.

One of the consequences of New World First Ferry Services Limited operating vessels which routinely emit black smoke can be seen in the cone of soot on the wall of the ferry pier, right next to the passenger hall:

Outlying Islands Ferry Pier 5 - to Cheung Chau.

New World First Ferry Services boat Xin Guo,

one of the many polluting vessels operated by this company, berthing at Pier 5.

Soot forming a smoke cone at Pier 5.

The gap below the smoke cone is the passenger hall.

Travelling from Discovery Bay to Tsim Sha Tsui, through a wall of vessel smoke pollution on 21 December 2012

“It's not the big things that get you in the end -- it's the small things”

The following photographs were taken between 3 and 4pm on 21 December 2012, whilst travelling from Discovery Bay to Tsim Sha Tsui in Hong Kong:

1500 hours - Kota Kamil (Singapore) - note smoke plume above the ship.

Unidentified container ship at anchor.

Hoegh Autoliners car transporter

Hoegh Dubai (Panama).

Cotai Water Jet - note smoke discharge to rear of boat.

Turbot Jet - Universal Mark 2011.

Unidentified tug.

New World Ferries boat Xin Fei departing Pier 5

The "Silver Star" arriving at Star Ferry, Central

(Photographed from inside the terminal)

The "Silver Star" departing from Star Ferry, Central

The "Northern Star" berthed at Star Ferry, Central

1600 hours - Voldendam berthed at Ocean Terminal

New World First Ferry Services Limited boat Xin Guang causing pollution in Hong Kong harbour on 13 December 2012

Children waiting on a school bus at Pier 3 as the New World First Ferry Services boat Xin Guang passes Pier 3 on its departure from Outlying Islands Ferry Terminal 5 around 0745 hours on 13 December 2012: 

Hong Kong Pollution Watch campaign coordination

In November 2012 a campaign was started to urge the Chief Executive of Hong Kong to include stringent measures to address smoke pollution by marine vessels in his 2013 Policy Address.

A petition to the Policy Address website was started:

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/marine-vessel-pollution-in-hong-kong

The campaign is being coordinated through a Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/HONG-KONG-POLLUTION-WATCH-Vessel-Smoke/423670711033793

A video has been produced to raise awareness of the campaign:

http://vimeo.com/55450426

This blog was started to provide information and document evidence of marine vessel smoke pollution:

http://hongkongpollutionwatch.blogspot.hk/

Ringlemann Chart

This is a Ringelmann Chart:

The chart is used to visually assess smoke emissions by comparing the darkness of the smoke with standard shades of white (0) through to black (5) on a chart placed in a suitable position.

Each shade number represents a 20% increase in obscuration of the background.

The darkness of the smoke being emitted should be compared with the shades on the chart.

The darker the smoke the greater the polluting potential of the smoke.

Note: This post is for reference only - proper charts follow strict British Standards.

Audit Commission (Hong Kong) report on “Implementation of air-quality improvement measures”, dated 26 October 2012

On 26 October 2012 the Audit Commission in Hong Kong published a report entitled: “Implementation of air-quality improvement measures”.

The report highlights the problems caused by air pollution in Hong Kong, and criticizes the lack of action taken to tackle the problem. Part 3 on “Emission Control of Marine Vessels” deals with the severe problems caused through smoke pollution by marine vessels.  

This is a great resource for students - fantastic statistics and charts.

Read the report here:

http://www.aud.gov.hk/pdf_e/e59ch02.pdf

Sign this petition to stop vessel smoke pollution in Hong Kong now!

Sick and tired of air pollution in Hong Kong?

Sign this petition to stop vessel smoke pollution in Hong Kong now!

If you live on one of the outlying islands, watch this shocking video on smoke pollution in Central to see how bad things really are for you. Not only do you have to sail through this everyday to get to town, this video was taken at Pier 5 in Central, right next to the other outlying island ferry piers.

If you or your children travel by ferry to Hong Kong Island, you are met by this every day, as you go to work or your children go to school!

Watch the video here…

http://vimeo.com/55450426

… then please sign the petition here to stop this:

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/marine-vessel-pollution-in-hong-kong

.... the only way we are going to stop this is with your support!

Vessel smoke affecting students at Outlying Islands Ferry Terminal 5, Central, Hong Kong caused by New World First Ferry Services on 12 December 2012

“Dark smoke emitted by vessels comprises suspended particulates which are harmful to health” (para 3.35)

Implementation of air-quality improvement measures

Audit Commission, Hong Kong, 26 October 2012.

The following photographs form a chronological timeline and were taken as New World Ferry Services vessels were arriving and departing at Outlying Islands Ferry Terminal 5, Central, Hong Kong on 12 December 2012:

0635am - Xin Guo arrives and berths

Xin Guo departs

0733am - Secondary school children wait for their bus

0735am - Xin Fei arrives and berths

0738am - Passengers from Xin Fei disembark and make their way to work

Xin Fei departs  

0749am - Secondary school students board their school buses

0753am - Primary school children play while waiting to go to school

0754am - Primary school children disembark from the Lamma Ferry on their way to school

 0804am - Kindergarten child waits to go to school (with baby sibling)

0808 am - Xin Chao arrives and berths

The following are selected quotes from the Audit Commissions report (Implementation of air-quality improvement measures. Audit Commission, Hong Kong, 26 October 2012):

“… air pollution poses health risks to humans, causing respiratory and heart diseases and lung cancer. These adverse health effects will increase medical costs, lower worforce’s productivity and undermine people’s quality of life …. good air-quality management is essential for safeguarding and promoting people’s well being” (para 1.2).

“the shipping industry raised objection to the proposal” (para 3.32).

“… the Government would, subject to resource availability, implement 22 air-quality improvement measures” (Executive Summary - para 3).

“… since there was other pressing legislative work to proceed with, the THB needed more time to consider details of introducing the proposed legislative amendments” (para 3.32).

Comment

In other words, vessel pollution is recognized as being a major health risk, but unfortunately, nothing has happened because the shipping industry don’t want to be regulated and it has not been a government priority.

Remember this as you look at the photographs of these school children. They suffer this every day they go to school. Thank you New World Ferry and the numerous other vessel operators who pollute our harbour with impunity every day.

Petition to the Chief Executive

If you want to do something about this situation, please sign the petition below, asking the Chief Executive to announce stringent measures to address vessel pollution like this in his 2013 Policy Address:

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/marine-vessel-pollution-in-hong-kong