VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Canada – July 16, 2002 `SolarAccess.com`
The Marine Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has approved an initial installation of approximately US$50,000 of Carmanah Technologies solar-powered LED marine navigation lights.
The HKSAR is currently in the process of upgrading its aids to navigation throughout the Hong Kong Port. Carmanah’s lights will be installed, operational and fully tested by August 30, 2002. The organization has expressed that they will replace all current low range (up to 3 nautical miles) lighting with Carmanah’s products once the performance and reliability of these initial units is proven.
This initial order comprises 10 units of the Model 601 (2 nautical mile marine light) and 28 units of the Model 702-5 (3 nautical mile marine light). The Model 702-5 units will be used to mark bridges that span the main Hong Kong/Kowloon Channel. Carmanah won the tender primarily because of the Model 702-5’s compact configuration, low power consumption and superior quality and performance. Carmanah lights represent significant cost savings over competitive lighting technologies.
“This order into Hong Kong represents a significant step forward for Carmanah’s sales efforts into Asia,” said Art Aylesworth, C.E.O. of Carmanah. “The HKSAR’s desire to upgrade the technology of its aids to navigation, mooring buoys and bridge hazard marker lights provides Carmanah with a significant opportunity to become a preferred supplier.”
The Hong Kong Port is located on the southern tip of the peninsula of Hong Kong and represents the most active port in the world. Its strategic location in Asia makes it an important shipment and transshipment center. Within the port, the HKSAR manages over 550 channel marker buoys and over 2200 mooring buoys. They also administer hazard marker lights on bridges that span the waterway approaches to and from the harbor segments and the navigable rivers.