The Marine Nautical Training School was closed in 2000 as similar courses were then provided by the Seamen’s Training Centre or The Maritime Services Training Institute set up in 1988. In fact, nautical training courses were adequately offered by many private shipping companies or institutions by that time. On the other hand, the Hong Kong government was planning to significantly cut down various departmental expenditures. Private training courses were later accepted by the department so long as the applicants were able to pass the accredited test and acquire the requisite government licence. The original building of the Marine Nautical Training School is now occupied by the Marine Department Training Centre, which was established in 2000.[27]
In 2013, there were 819 launches in the Government Fleet, 510 of which belonged to the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Most of them were non-mechanised vessels, such as beach craft and lighters. The Hong Kong Police Force owned some 130 vessels. Among these, 36 were major mechanised vessels, 10 were large high speed craft, and 38 were medium high speed craft. Together with other minor mechanised vessels such as mechanised daughter boats or dinghies, etc., the Hong Kong Police Force had the largest mechanised fleet among all government departments.
Notes:
- [27]Interview of Lam Kit.
Part 2 Chapter 3.7 - The recent development of the Government Dockyard and the Government Fleet (2000 to the early 2010s)
