THE TELEGRAPH, April 1973
John Slater's
Column
Hong Kong-flag of convenience?
I have been advised that discussions are taking place between top-level British Government Ministers and shipping representatives from Hong Kong, on the subject of shipping registry for that port. Hong Kong-- a British colony-is a port of registry coming directly under the control of the British Government-it is not a separate registry. Therefore, ships registered in Hong Kong have to comply with all safety, certification. crew accommodation, manning and other British Government regulations applying to ships under U.K. registry.
Reports I have received indicate that pressure is now being put on the U.K. Government to allow Hong Kong to become a separate port of registry, and that arrangements should be made which would allow various dispensations from applying U.K. standards for safety equipment, off- cer certification, crew accommodation, mansing requirements, cic.
I find it difficult, although not impossible, to believe that the British Government will becorne party to arrangements, which would, if reports currently circulating arc accurate, result in the setting up of a flag of convenience shipping registry in Hong Kong.
I have protested to top-level Department of Tinde and Industry representatives about the possibility of sava a cac13- trophic situation, its prubable impact on U.K. shinning and the international ociusı ubich would be file rovaru of the British Government The Gov- ernments of most traditional meritime countries, including Britain, spend a good deel of time and energy in seeking to improve internatio and Surety and other standards. Are we about to witness a volle-face?
I gwait the outcome of those discussions with seate trepida- tion, but I trust thai we pre nud about to witness the paradoxi- cal situation of The Fish Government, on ile one hand, secking, to improve muziame safety standards and, on the other, giving way to contner- cial pressure to reduce them.
ANNEX D