thumb|right|Mid-stream operations in Hong Kong, at the North Lamma Anchorage, near [[Lamma Island. Small barges with cranes offload containers.]]
thumb|right|The waters of Hong Kong viewed from space
Mid-stream operation is the operation of loading and unloading cargo containers from a container ship while at sea, with barges or dumb steel lighters performing the transfer, distribution or landing of containers to piers nearby.
Mid-stream operation has the significant advantage of low cost, but has been criticized for the danger and difficulty of transferring cargoes between two ships at sea.
Hong Kong operations
Mid-stream operation has been abandoned almost everywhere except Hong Kong, where land is insufficient and the fees for using the container pier are quite high. In Hong Kong, mid-stream operations occur at 12 different locations occupying a total land area of 34.6 hectares and water frontage of 3,513 metres.
Operators include:
- Fat Kee Stevedores Ltd.
- Tai Wah Sea/Land Heavy Transportation Ltd.
- Transward Ltd.
See also
- Ship-to-ship cargo transfer
- Underway replenishment
- Port of Hong Kong
- Stevedore
External links
- Mid-stream operation in Hong Kong
- List of