Transportation | At least seven garbage related ferry delays in June

A high-speed ferry heading to Macau crashed into a breakwater in Macau’s harbor (June 2014)

In regards to the ferry delayed this week due to sea refuse entering its intake, as discussed in a letter to the editor published by the Times on Wednesday, a representative for the Marine and Water Bureau (DSAMA) has admitted that “such incidents happen once in a while” and that “ferry companies are required to notify [the bureau] in this case.”
Seven such incidents have occurred in the last month alone.
“The Vessel Traffic Control Center under the Marine and Water Bureau will be notified once marine refuse is sucked into the engine of a high-speed ferry,” the representative explained.
“Currently, the high-speed ferries are able to self-remove the rubbish once it gets sucked into the engine. If it can’t be removed successfully, the ferry can still continue its voyage to the ferry terminal at a low speed.”
“In June 2016, there were more than 10,000 sailings and seven such incidents, in which the ferry required assistance in having the refuse removed at the terminal, have been reported, including the case on June 27.”
The bureau representative stated that the refuse entering the ferries’ intake had forced the vessels to head to port for assistance. She implied that in other cases, the ferries are able to remove the refuse.
There may have been more than seven incidents of refuse entering the engines of ferries, including times when the problem could be easily corrected – an indication of the amount of refuse in the neighboring sea.
“The Marine and Water Bureau dispatches personnel daily to the coast of Macau for monitoring the situation,” said DSAMA in a statement.
“Once marine refuse is potted [and] accumulated on the surface of the sea, vessels will be sent out to collect the rubbish. The number of staff and the frequency of cleaning will be increased in order to safeguard navigational safety and maintain the marine environment when necessary.”
In October, around 100 people were injured after a high-speed jetfoil bound for Hong Kong hit an “unidentified object” south of Lantau Island.
There were a number of other incidents in 2014 and 2013 on the route between Hong Kong and Macau, which led to injuries and other vessel collisions.
“All attempts to pressure local government officials to acknowledge this issue with litter and pollution of our waterways do not seem to be working, likely due to the fact that the problem is much larger than rubbish coming from Macau, but the whole region,” wrote Macau-based Luke Lienau on Wednesday in a letter to the editor.
“Any action is going to require close cooperation by the mainland authorities jointly with Macau and Hong Kong authorities overseeing pollution, environmental concerns and travel safety across the Pearl River Estuary,” he continued.
Regarding the garbage in the sea and that which has been washed ashore, as reported by the Times this week and in the past, the DSAMA representative clarified: “We [the Marine and Water Bureau] are responsible for cleaning the sea, but if the refuse is washed ashore it becomes the responsibility of CSR.”
CSR, or Companhia De Sistemas De Resíduos, is the waste collection company responsible for cleaning and maintaining public areas in Macau.
CSR did not come forth with a “qualified” agent to speak to the Times. Its other departmental representatives did not confirm the extent of the company’s responsibilities under the concession granted by the MSAR government.

Rescuers escort injured passenger of a high-speed ferry to hospital after getting on shore in Hong Kong (October 2015)