it
certificates held by people belonging to Hong Kong rather than to Taiwan nationals. In any case, we are not at present proposing to make concessions to holders of Taiwan certificates.
To counter the above objections, the Chamber made the following suggestions designed to make a separate register of shipping more palatable to ship-owners:
i. There should be exchanges of surveyors and survey
arrangements between the UK and Hong Kong.
Comment. We are already giving serious consideration to exchanging surveyors with a view to maintaining similar standards.
ii. Any relaxations granted by the Hong Kong Marine
Department in respect of safety equipment on ships coming on to the Hong Kong register should apply to new or second-hand ships coming on to the UK register.
Comment. This has been referred to under a. above. Provided Hong Kong administers the proposed delegated authority properly, this might well be possible.
iii.
iv.
Access to the Hong Kong register should be open to companies with principal place of business in UK as well as Hong Kong.
Comment. We should not agree to this. If Hong Kong conditions of registry are modified to allow it! could encourage an unacceptable volume of tonnage to transfer to the Hong Kong register. It might also, unless extended to other Commonwealth countries, be contrary to the Commonwealth Shipping Agreement.
The Hong Kong Government should have the same power to restrict the trading of vessels on the Hong Kong register as the UK Government has in respect of the UK register.
Comment.
The UK Government's power to restrict the trading activities of vessels registered in the Colonies would continue in respect of a separate Hong Kong register.
The flexibility of manning agreed for Hong Kong vessels should be extended to UK vessels.
Comment. This would largely depend on the outcome of our intended discussions with EEC countries: we are certainly aiming at some relaxation in nationality requirements for officers below Master level on UK ships.
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