Before 1989, ships calling Hong Kong were monitored by the Port Communication Centre (PCC), and three signal stations located at Waglan Island, Tathong Point and Green Island. The masters or pilots were required to report to the PCC on maritime VHF frequencies when they passed the reporting points specified on the charts. Ships would be identified by the staff of the signal stations with the help of binoculars and morse signalling lamp. Recording of ship movements were carried out by means of trip-wise recording forms and paper logs, which also served as records for invoicing purposes.

The distribution of ships within Hong Kong waters were represented by a large white board in PCC, with locations in a column-wise manner and ship shape magnets against their locations which were updated with each report made by the master or pilot of a ship.

Shipping movements were disseminated to concerned government departments like the Immigration Department, the Customs and Excise Department and the Port Health Authority by means of electrical teleprinters.

The system was a passive controlling system and the staff in the PCC would only provide traffic information or advice to a very limited extent when requested by ship masters. The only traffic management possible was by scheduling the vessels to pass through critical areas like the Lei Yue Mun pass or the Ma Wan Channel by comparing their reported estimated time of arrival.