Only six of 304 vessels inspected after the National Day ferry disaster had problems with their watertight devices, the marine department said. And they were all minor issues, it added.
The department said it had inspected all the ferries and launches operating in Hong Kong following the fatal collision, which claimed 39 lives, and found that all their structures matched their plans.
It was revealed that a missing watertight door on the Lamma IV, which collided with they Sea Smooth near Lamma Island on October 1, contributed to its rapid sinking. The ferry was designed to have a watertight door, but it was not installed during construction.
In a paper submitted to the Legislative Council's economic development panel, the department said there were only six vessels found with minor defects in their watertight devices. On one ferry the plastic seal on the watertight door frame was damaged and the other five had minor problems with watertight devices on their bulkheads.
The department said the operators had rectified the problems and it had endorsed the corrections.
Vessels were also inspected for lifejackets. Following the tragedy, the Lamma IV was found to have no lifejackets for children. Eight children died.
