JH
DRAFT
Mr. Charles W. Lyons,
Shipping Attaché,
American Embassy,
24, Grosvenor Square,
W.1.
August, 1967.
राज
You will recall that you and Mr. Mehann of First Atomic Ship
Transport Inc. recently discussed the monitoring arrangements for the
"SAVANNAH's" visit to Hong Kong in June with Mr. Waddingham of the
Ministry of Defence. As you know, the safety arrangements for
nuclear merchant ships are primarily a matter for the Board of Trade
and we are considering the points Mr. Mehann made at the meeting in
the light of the "SAVANNAH's" proposed further visits to Hong Kong.
You will appreciate that we have to consider very carefully any
proposal which involves changing our present policy in this field as
set out in the Report of the Committee on the Safety of Nuclear
Powered Ships (Cmnd. 958); and it is unlikely that in the time
available we would be able to recommend to the authorities in
Hong Kong that the requirement for a separate monitoring team should
be abandoned for the "SAVANNAH's" proposed visit there in October.
We are however naturally willing to consider any alternative arrangements
which may be proposed for possible subsequent visits. It might be
useful, if you agree, for us to have a meeting with those concerned
on your side to discuss this question; perhaps you would care to get
in touch with me to arrange a suitable date as soon as possible after
September 3rd, when Mr. H. N. E. Whiteside, our Engineer Surveyor-in-
Chief, returns from leave.
We understand that there is a publication available in the U.S.A.
giving details of the "SAVANNAH's" operations from the day of commissioning
to the present; this would be of considerable use to us in considering
the question of monitoring arrangements, if you have a copy available.