(i)
The Tuen Mun – Chek
Lap Kong Link serves to connect Tuen Mun with the Chek Lap Kok and the Hong Kong - Zhuhai - Macau Bridge.
(ii)
Highways
Department has awarded this Contract to Dragages – Bouygues Joint Venture. Project
details are given in Section II above. The Contract scope is depicted in
Figures 1, 2 and 3.
(iii)
This
plan is prepared in accordance with Condition 2.8 of the Environmental Permit
(EP-354/2009/A), which requires the Permit Holder to submit to the Director of
Environmental Protection a plan showing the regular marine travel routes of
vessels moving to and from the Project Site.
(iv)
Referring
to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report, Clause 8.11.9.33, the TM-CLKL
project area is heavily used by Chinese White Dolphins and that the nearby
Brothers Islands/Sham Shui Kok
areas are critical dolphin habitats (Figure
4). To minimize the chance of vessel collision and the disturbance of the
Chinese White Dolphins, Condition 2.8 of the Environmental Permit EP-354/2009/A
requires the Permit Holder to submit to the Director of Environmental
Protection the design and implementation of a plan showing the regular marine
travel routes of vessels moving to and from the Project site. Any subsequent
changes to the regular routes shall be verified by the IEC as conforming to the
requirements in the EIA Report and deposited with the Director of Environmental
Protection.
-final_files/image011.jpg)
Figure 4 – Critical Habitat of CWD in
Hong Kong (Extracted from AFCD website) (http://www.afcd.gov.hk/english/conservation/con_mar/con_mar_chi/con_mar_chi_chi/con_mar_chi_chi.html)
(i)
Under the Marine Park Ordinance, four marine
parks and one marine reserve has been established in Hong Kong. They are:
·
Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park, north of Sai Kung;
·
Yan Chau Tong Marine
Park, north-east of Hong Kong New Territories;
·
Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau Marine Park, west of Tuen Mun across the Urmston Road
navigation channel;
·
Tung Ping Chau Marine
Park, an island east of the east-most parts of Hong Kong;
·
Cape D’Aguilar Marine Peserve to the South Eastern corner of Hong Kong Island.
(ii)
The marine park closest to the TM-CLKL Project
is the Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau Marine Park (Figures 5 and 6), west of Tuen Mun across the Urmston Road navigation channel. Three island groups lie
within the 1200 hectares of marine park area. They are Lung Kwu
Chau, Sha Chau and Pak Chau.
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Figure 5 – Location of the Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau Marine Park, West of Tuen Mun (Extracted from EPD website http://www.epd.gov.hk/eia/register/study/latest/figures/esb054-f2.pdf)
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Figure 6 – Image of the
Boundary of Sha Chau and
Lung Kwu Chau Marine Park,
West of Tuen Mun (Zoomed
Up) (Extracted from AFCD website http://www.afcd.gov.hk/english/country/cou_vis/cou_vis_mar/cou_vis_mar_des/cou_vis_mar_des_sha.html)
(iii)
The proposed marine park in the Brothers Islands
(BIMP) (Appendix C) lies just east
of the Southern Landfall (Figures 1 and 3).
It lies in the path of marine traffic travelling to the waterways south of the
Brothers, which includes the South of Brothers Mud Pit.
(iv)
Latest available marine mammal monitoring data
from Agricultural, Fisheries and Conservation Department will be used as
reference information to align the marine travel routes of this Contract. The
primary goal is to avoid dolphin hotspots such as the Brothers Islands as far
as practicable. When it is not possible to avoid these sensitive areas,
precautions shall be implemented, such as choosing the less impact route and
travelling at further reduced speed.
3.1.
Types of Working Vessels
(i)
For the HY/2012/08 Contract, there will be no
specialized marine vessels used. As the marine dredging and reclamation works
are of relatively small scale compared with the other HZMB construction
contracts, the equipment used are of generic types readily available for hire. In
following other approved Regular Marine Travel Route Plan format, the vessels
are classified into the following categories, with details given within these
groupings:
a.
Group
A: Non-self-propelled Working Fleet in the vicinity of the Northern Landfall
Site
The working fleets
in this category include derrick barges and flat-top barges. The reclamation is
too small to engage customized vessels. Tub boats and anchor boats will be used
to tow and to assist the positioning and anchoring. As these work fleets will
station mainly within the Northern Landfall site and the maneuvering or
positioning will be carried out in slow speed, the potential impact to CWD will
be low.
b.
Group
B: Self-propelled Working Fleet in the vicinity of the Northern Landfall Site
The working fleets in this category include tug boats, grab dredger, passenger
boats, sampan and pelican barges. As the construction
activities are mainly carried out in the vicinity of the Northern Landfall and
since most of the working fleet will be slow moving (around 5 knots to 10
knots), traffic disturbance or collision risk to CWD will be low. Passenger
boats, sampan and pelican barges are mainly for labour
transportation, therefore, the impact to CWD is small.
c.
Group C: Delivery of material to and from the
Northern Landfall Site
The working fleets
in this classification include tug boats, hopper barge and sand barge, which
may or may not be directly carrying out construction works (e.g. engineering
supervision vessels). Hopper barge and sand barge are used for the delivery of
dredging materials in and out of the site. The frequency of transportation is
intermittent. Thus, the traffic disturbance or collision risk to CWD will be
low.
1.
2.
3.
3.1.
3.2.
1.
2.
3.
3.1.
3.2.
(i)
Derrick barges (Figure 7) are barge mounted cranes, used for the lifting, moving
and lowering of heavy objects such as large stones for rock armoring around the
seawall (i.e. marine version of lorry cranes). Lighter lifting includes
geotextile sheets, silt curtains, etc. They will primarily stay at the Northern
Landfall (Figure 2) during the
dredging and reclamation works, but will serve to transport materials between
sites.
(ii)
During the TBM tunneling construction period
starting 2015, the majority of lifting will be carried out by land-based
cranes, but some derrick barges will be used for the delivery and offloading of
precast concrete segments to the Northern Landfall (Figure 2). Further details will be updated at least one month
before TBM works start.
(iii)
The Southern Landfall will be reclaimed by
others. The completed reclamation has not yet been handed over to the
HY/2013/08 Contract and will not be for a few years-time.
When handed over, it is envisaged that there will be some rock armoring works
and such, where derrick barges will be needed for the delivery and lifting of
materials, likely from 2016 to 2018. Details will be updated at least one month
before Southern Landfall (Figure 3)
works start.
|
Vessel Details
|
Photo
|
|
Length Overall (LOA): 50m
Breadth: 20m
Air Draft: 38m
|
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|
Figure 7 – Derrick Barge Information
(i)
Tug boats (Figure
8) are used to tow and push barges and marine platforms that do not have
the ability of self-propulsion. Some large barges with self-propulsion may not
be able to negotiate tight waterways or to maneuver precisely. Tug boats will
help to position such barges to exact GPS coordinates. For example, they are
used for accompanying barges to marine sediment disposal facilities during the
Northern Landfall reclamation works, which is planned to be completed before
the end of 2014.
(ii)
After the completion of the reclamation of the
Northern Landfall, there will be no envisaged marine sediment disposal to marine
disposal sites. Some tug boats may still be used for aiding large vessels
maneuvering.
(iii)
Tug boats are accompanying vessels for various
activities. They do not have their own regular travel routes. They will use the
existing fairways (Appendix A) when
travelling to and from the site for work.
|
Vessel Details
|
Photo
|
|
Nominal 850 hp
|
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|
Figure 8 – Tug Boat Information
(i)
Hopper barges (Figure 9) are used to carry loose materials such as sand, stone,
rock, public fill, marine sediments and the like to and from the site. They may
be self-propelled or not. Generally, they are accompanied by tug boats when
making deliveries, especially when delivering marine sediments to allocated
disposal sites.
(ii)
Hopper barges are primarily used for the
Northern Landfall dredging and reclamation phase of the works (Figure 2), for bringing fill materials
for the reclamation site and removing marine sediments from the site. They are not envisaged to be used during the
sub-sea TBM tunnel works or the Southern Landfall works, as they do not encompass
dredging and reclamation works for the HY/2012/08 Contract.
(iii)
As these vessels carry different materials from various
sources and to various recipient sites, they travel different regular marine
travel routes (Appendix B) depending
on the type of load they are carrying at the time.
|
Vessel Details
|
Photo
|
|
Nominal 1000m3 Capacity
Length Overall (LOA):: 50 m
Breadth: 13m
Air Draft: Max. 12m
|
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|
Figure 9 – Hopper Barge Information
(i)
Flat top barges (Figure 10) are floating stationary working platforms. They may be
self-propelled or not. Generally, they are assisted by tug boats when
maneuvering to various GPS coordinates to carry out their works.
(ii)
Since no land-site is available until the
reclamation of the Northern Landfall (Figure
2) is completed in a year’s time, these flat top barges are necessary for
the placing and assembly of components.
They will be used as working platforms for installation of concrete
blocks, temporary seawall and the like.
(iii)
Flat top barges are primarily used for the
Northern Landfall dredging and reclamation phase of the works (Figure 2).
(iv)
As these vessels will remain in the works area
of the Northern Landfall (Figure 2),
they do not have an associated regular marine travel route. Delivery of these
vessels to site will be from the existing fairways. They will stay at the site for
the period of their works and demobilized via the existing fairways.
|
Vessel Details
|
Photo
|
|
Length Overall (LOA): 49.64 m
Breadth: 20.74m
Air Draft: Max. 15m
|
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|
Figure 10 – Flat Top Barge Information
(i)
Grab dredgers (Figure 11) are floating stationary working platforms. They may be
self-propelled or not. Generally, they are assisted by tug boats when
maneuvering to various GPS coordinates to carry out their works.
(ii)
Grab dredgers are primarily used for the
Northern Landfall (Figure 2)
dredging and reclamation phase of the works.
(iii)
There are no dredging and reclamation works for
the sub-sea TBM tunnel (Figure 1)
and the Southern Landfall (Figure 3),
under Contract HY/2012/08. Grab dredgers will not be employed at these project
sites.
(iv)
As these vessels will remain in the works area
of the Northern Landfall (Figure 2),
they do not have an associated regular marine travel route. Delivery of these
vessels to site will be from the existing fairways. They will stay at the site
for the period of their works and demobilized via the existing fairways.
|
Vessel Details
|
Photo
|
|
Length Overall (LOA): 44.32 m
Breadth: 18m
|
-final_files/image025.gif) -final_files/image027.gif)
|
Figure 11 – Grab Dredgers Information
(i)
Sand barges (Figure 12) are slow-moving barges for sand storage and
transportation. Sand barges are primarily used for the Northern Landfall (Figure 2) dredging and reclamation
phase of the works. They bring sand from the mainland to Hong Kong through the Urmston Road fairway. Generally, they will avoid the marine
parks and dolphin habitats.
|
Vessel Details
|
Photo
|
|
Nominal 1000m3 capacity
|
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|
Figure 12 – Sand Barges Information
(i)
Motor sampans (Figure 13) are utility vehicles. They are motor boats for
miscellaneous supporting works such as carrying supervision and workers to and
from working vessels, Carrying supervision teams to conduct supervision and
inspection works, carrying out water sampling for environmental purposes,
carrying out surveying works, etc.
(ii)
In travelling between construction sites (Figures 1, 2 and 3) and external
locations, these vessels will take the existing fairways.
|
Vessel Details
|
Photo
|
|
Max. 7 Passengers
|
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|
Figure 13 – Motor Sampan Information
(i)
The licensed captain is the person responsible
for the safety of his ship, crew and passengers. As well he is responsible for
the adherence of marine traffic rules, such as to ensure the safety of the
crews and passengers of ships that may be affected by his vessel.
(ii)
The captain has the obligation to vary the
marine travel route to suit special situations such as poor visibility, adverse
weather (e.g. Typhoon Signal 3 or above), special closures of routes due to fireworks
and special events, avoidance of collisions with other vessels and dolphins,
avoidance of shallow water and ship stranding, etc.
(iii)
When merging with fast travelling traffic in
routes such as the Urmston Road, the captain has the
obligation to accelerate or avoid appropriately so as to
avoid collision.
(iv)
When slowing from a fast moving travel route to
lower speed zones, the captain shall make sure that there is sufficient
distance to do so and to take action to avoid collision.
(iv)
Section 8.14.4.14 of the EIA
Report requires that a speed limit of 10 knots be observed within the works
area where Chinese White Dolphins (CWD) are likely to occur, namely all areas
north and west of Lantau Island. It considers that
this speed limit within the boundaries of the Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau Marine Park appears to be effective in protecting the
CWD from vessel collision and acoustic disturbance. Condition 3.4 of the
Environmental Permit (EP-354/2009/A) goes on to specify that all vessels within
the work areas shall not travel at a speed higher than 10 knots. Other than
references to the EIA and EP specified limit, there are no other contract
specific specification as to a more stringent speed limit is apparent, such
that the 10 knots speed limit is the definitive speed limit for construction
vessels inside construction works areas.
(v)
The speed limit rules are listed below:
a.
If dolphins are observed in the 250m exclusion
zone (Appendix E) of the Northern
Landfall (Figure 2), the relevant
part of the works shall be delayed until they have left the area;
b.
If dolphins are observed within the exclusion
zone (Appendix E) during dredging,
reclamation or sheet piling works (Figure
2), the relevant part of the works shall cease until the dolphins have left
the site;
c.
Adhere to traffic speed, rules and safe
practices of existing fairways;
d.
It is unavoidable to enter the edge of Marine
Park when the vessels go through the Southern Landfall. During this situation, the
vessels must keep a 5 knots speed limit within the edges of the proposed BIMP
location (Appendix C), without
compromising Rule c;
e.
Keep a 5 knot maximum speed limit at all other HY/2012/08
marine work sites, without compromising Rules c and d; and
f.
If any dolphins are sighted within 250m of a
vessel outside works areas, then the vessel shall slow to a speed no greater
than 5 knots for at least 3 minutes after the last sighting, but without compromising
Rule 3;
(i)
The regular marine travel routes are presented
in the following drawings:
·
Appendix A: Existing
Fairways
·
Appendix B: Routes
for Import of Reclamation Materials
·
Appendix C: Export
Routes to Marine Sediment Disposal Sites
·
Appendix D: Working
Vessels Anchorage Points During Typhoon Signal No., 3 or above
(ii)
Section 8.11.9.31 of the Environmental Impact
Assessment Report for TM-CLKL considers that dolphins stay away from paths of
vessels. In other words, they tend to stay away from existing fairways (Appendix A), which includes Hung Hom Fairway, Central Fairway, Central Fairway, Northern
Fairway, Ma Wan Fairway and Urmstron Road.
(iii)
Section 8.11.9.32 of the EIA Report considers
that construction vessels will be largely slow-moving barges, dredgers and
crewed-boats not engaged as dolphin observation vessels. These vessels are not
expected to have a serious impact on dolphin behaviors.
(iv)
Condition 3.7(b) of the Environmental Permit
(EP-354/2009/A) has limited the maximum daily marine sediment export by
limiting the dredging to one grab dredger operating at a daily rate of 7,200m3.
Condition 3.7(c) of the Environmental Permit (EP-354/2009/A) has limited the daily
reclamation material import rate by limiting filling barge trips to 16 trips
per day, with a maximum filling rate of 16,000m3. The above
condition is only for the Northern Landfall.
(v)
Given that the HY/2012/08 dredging and
reclamation works is limited by EP conditions and to the Northern Landfall (Figure 2), the selected regular marine
travel routes should have limited impact to the habitats of the Chinese White
Dolphins (CWD). This is more so since existing fairways will be used and the
trajectory will take the vessels to the easterly directions, away from the dolphin
habitats north and west of Lantau Island and at
around the proposed BIMP.
(vi)
The construction of the sub-sea TBM tunnels will
have similar travel routes, using existing fairways to the Northern Landfall (Figure 2). Therefore, there should
minimal impact to the CWD.
(vii)
The reclamation of the Southern Landfall (Figure 3) is carried out by others and
not in the scope of this Contract. Therefore, the majority of the vessels for
dredging and reclamation of the Northern Landfall will not be remobilized for
the future finishing works around the Southern Landfall, which is expected in
around 2016 to 2018. This plan will be updated and submitted for ET and IEC
checking prior to submission to the DEP and relevant authorities at least one
month before the start of the Southern Landfall works. Any marine traffic will
take a northeasterly path away from the BIMP and into the established fairways,
with an initial speed of no more than 10 knots.
(viii)
Taking into account the above assessment, the
routes are detailed below:
a.
Existing fairways (Appendix A) such as Hung Hom Fairway,
Central Fairway, Central Fairway, Northern Fairway, Ma Wan Fairway and Urmstron Road will be selected as the major marine travel
route as far as practicable.
b.
The Urmston Road is
the deep channel through which large ships enter and leave Hong Kong’s ports.
It lies between Tuen Mun
and the Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau Marine Park (Figure 5). Vessels from the HY/2012/08
worksite will not travel within the facility of the Sha
Chau and Lung Kwu Chau Marine Park.
c.
The import routes for sand, rock-fill, public
fill source and seawall block are shown in Appendix
B. The working vessels, i.e., derrick barge, tug boat, grab dredger and
motor sampan, will mainly stay and work along the works area of the Northern
Landfall (Figure 2). Only barges,
with supporting tug boats if necessary, will travel these routes for import of reclamation
materials. Precautionary measures will be conducted to avoid any disturbance to
the Chinese White Dolphins.
d.
Dredged marine deposits will be disposed at MFC
allocated sites, in accordance with the conditions specified under the Permit
to Dump Material at Sea. Three dumping sites have been allocated by the Marine
Fill Committee (MFC). Category L sediment will go to the marine disposal
facility at East Sha Chau
or South of Brothers. Category Mp sediments passing biological test will go to
the Confined Marine Sediment Disposal Facility to the South of the Brothers or
the Mud Pit of the Confined Marine Sediment Disposal Facility at East of Sha Chau. The corresponding
travel routes are shown in Appendix C.
When travelling across the edge of the Proposed South Brothers Marine Park, the
barges and tug boats shall reduce speed to 5 knots when approaching the
proposed Marine Park and travel with caution. The captain of the vessels shall
avoid travelling paths of dolphins.
e.
During Typhoon Signal No. 3 or above, the
working vessels will be anchored at Tuen Mun Typhoon Shelter or Yau Ma Tei
Typhoon Shelter. The travel routes are shown in Appendix D. As this plan shows the anchorage position in case of
Typhoon 3 and above, travel routes are not depicted here. The travel routes for
regular travel of off duty vessels will follow the existing fairways plan in Appendix A.
(i)
Supervision Staff:
The Project
Director is ultimately responsible for the minimization of ecological impacts,
including dolphin monitoring and marine travel control. The supervising staff
including Project Manager, Construction Manager, Superintendent, Site Foreman
and the representatives of subcontracts and specialists will assist the Project
Director on site to implement all precautionary and mitigation measures
approved by the Statutory Authority and the Engineer.
(ii)
Method of Implementation and Monitoring:
The
construction works are divided into onsite and offsite works. Onsite works
include all construction activities in the vicinity of HY/2012/08 sites (Figures 2 and 3). The current work up
to the end of 2014 will be at the Northern Landfall (Figure 2). The Southern Landfall reclamation is being carried out
by others and the site not yet handed over to HY/2012/08. Land-works and
seawall finishing works around this area will be about three years in the
future.
Offsite works
are mainly the delivery of material such as sand fill, rock fill and public
fill from supply sites around Hong Kong and the mainland, and also the dumping
of dredging materials. These vessels will travel through established fairways
and will be monitored.
(iii)
DBJV will maintain records of the use of the
vessels under control. Such records will include date, time, details and
purposes of journeys. The person using the works boats authorizing the journey
will be required to sign his name and title against the entries. DBJV will
present current log books for inspection by the SOR. The following monitoring
measures will be adopted:
a.
Barges for transporting public fill or sediment
will be equipped with Automatic Identification System (AIS) for track logging
of vessels;
b.
Tug boats and hopper barges will be installed with
GPS System for the purposes of recording the marine travel route during
operation;
c.
Non-self-propelled vessels and floating platforms
such as derrick barges and flat top barges will be moved by tug boats which are
installed with GPS. As such, their travel routes can be followed;
d.
Precast concrete units entering Hong Kong from
Pearl River Estuary will be equipped with GPS systems or course recorder system
to record their travel routes;
e.
Administrative control will be taken, one route will be monthly selected with AIS or GPS as
possible.
(iv)
The Contractor shall actively provide the travel
route logs to the ETL, IEC/ENPO and SOR at monthly intervals. The track log
shall include both coordinate points logging of individual track and graphical
summary of tracks overlaid on the approved routes to clearly demonstrate
compliance with the routes.
(v)
The daily record of marine travel route of offsite
working fleets will be collected and filed by the supervising staff for
inspection and monitoring purposes. Records with graphical presentation/plots shall
be submitted to the ETL, IEC/ENPO and SOR on a monthly basis. Warning will be
noticed to the captain and his shipping company or material suppliers if vessel
track log showed the approved marine travel route is not followed.
(vi)
All vessels used for the construction of the
marine works will comply with all the relevant regulations and requirements of
the Marine Department, including:
a.
The Shipping and Port Control Regulations (Cap.
313);
b.
The Merchant Shipping (Miscellaneous Craft)
Regulations (Cap. 313);
c.
The Merchant Shipping (Safety) (Signals of
Distress and Prevention of Collisions) Regulations (Cap. 369);
d.
The Merchant Shipping (Launches and Ferry
Vessels) Regulations (Cap. 313E);
e.
Merchant Shipping (Safety) Regulations (Cap.
369);
f.
Merchant Shipping (Local Vessels) Ordinance
(Cap. 548);
g.
Merchant Shipping (Local Vessels) (Works)
Regulation (Cap. 548); and
h.
Shipping and Port Control (Works) Ordinance
(Cap. 313X).
(i)
When carrying out the marine works for
HY/2012/08, the Vessel Speed Limit and Restriction Specifications of this
Regular Marine Travel Route Plan shall be followed.
(ii)
This Regular Marine Travel Route Plan shall also
be followed.
(iii)
When implementing the works, site supervision
and monitoring specifications of this plan shall be followed, with emphasis on
statutory compliance and installation of tracking equipment (e.g. GPS) onboard
specified vessels. Extra care should be taken to ensure that the use of
construction related vessels do not interfere with CWD in their habitat.
(i)
Captains of all working vessels should be
required to use regular travel routes, in order to minimize the chance of
vessel collision.
(ii)
Captains of construction vessels working in the Tuen Mun dredging and reclamation
areas should undergo training to learn about local dolphins and porpoises. They
should be trained to be aware of the protocol for “dolphin friendly” vessel
operation. Reference will be made to “Code of Conduct for Dolphin Watching
Activities” available from Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department.
They will be trained on what to do and what not to do;
(iii)
This training course will be provided to
captains within three working days after start of work on site and refreshment
courses will be provided in every quarter. The training will be provided by the
Contractor’s Environmental Officer or Environmental Supervisor, with support
and input from the ET and the ET’s on site representative. The EO/ES will be
trained by dolphin specialist before giving the training to captains and other
correspondence. The dolphin specialist is contracted under the ET and will take
part as per contract specification. Aspects of dolphins, dolphin exclusion
zones, spill responses and marine travel routes have been incorporated.
(iv)
The training contents will be updated and
expanded over time. All of the training material, schedule and records will be
submitted to the ETL, IEC/ENPO and SOR on a regular basis.
END
OF CONTENT
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