The Shipping Community witnessed the breakthrough of the Hong Kong Voluntary Observing Ships

3 June 2013

Members of the Shipping Community witnessed the breakthrough of the Hong Kong Voluntary Observing Ships (HKVOS) at the fourth meeting of the Liaison Group for the Shipping Community of the Hong Kong Observatory on 28 May 2013. Before the meeting, Mr. C.M. Shun, Director of the Hong Kong Observatory, presented certificates to OOCL Long Beach, the first HKVOS installed with automatic meteorological observation system and OOCL Yokohama, the first HKVOS upgraded to Voluntary Observation Ship Climate (VOSClim), a class of VOS which provides high-quality ship weather reports. The Hong Kong Observatory will continue its effort to increase the number of HKVOS equipped with automatic meteorological observation system and upgraded to VOSClim with a view to enhancing both the quantity and quality of marine weather observations taken by the HKVOS for the benefit of the shipping community.

Mr. Shun also presented gold awards to the HKVOS which made over 300 weather observations in 2012, in appreciation of their outstanding effort in contributing to the maritime safety worldwide during the event. The four winning HKVOS are Maersk Gairloch, OOCL Asia, OOCL Charleston and OOCL Yokohama.

Twenty-seven representatives from shipping companies, container terminal operators, the Hong Kong Pilots Association and the Observatory attended the meeting. The opportunity was taken to discuss the recent development in tropical cyclone warning services to the shipping community and weather observations over the South China Sea.

Mr Shun (right) presenting certificate to OOCL Long Beach,
the first voluntary observing ship in Hong Kong installed
with automatic meteorological observation system

Mr Shun (right) presenting certificate to OOCL Yokohama,
the first voluntary observing ship in Hong Kong upgraded to
Voluntary Observation Ship Climate

Mr Shun (middle) presenting gold awards to
the outstanding voluntary observing ships in Hong Kong

Participants of the fourth meeting of the Liaison Group for the Shipping Community