2203233
CONFIDELITIAL ##
機密
2.
The Minister said that ships under a Hong Kong Register would operate under the Red Ensign, and it was H.M.G.'s responsibility to ensure that these ships were up to the standards required by the D.T.I. But within this limitation the D.T.I. proposed that the Director of Marine would have wider powers delegated to him to administer the new Register. He also confirmed that the expression "traditional maritime countries excluded, for example, countries such as Taiwan. could not accept that there should be two separate standards applied to ships flying the Red Ensign depending on whether they were registered in the U.K. or Hong Kong and they were determined that a separate Hong Kong Register should not become a flag of convenience under the Red Ensign.
3.
H.M.G.
The meeting then considered particular points
arising from the draft consultative document.
4.
•
Mr C.H. Tung said that some of the standards set by D.T.I. for e.g. materials used in safety equipment were impossible to meet. Many Hong Kong ships were built in Japan to IMCO and Llords' standards. But he said the D.T.I. did not yet recognise the Japanese safety standards and this would debar ships from sailing under the Red Ensign. The Minister said he would put this point to D.T.I. officials. His Department was now checking the safety standards used by the Japanese. If the D.T.I. were satisfied, the Japanese standards could be accepted.
5.
The major problem to emerge was that the D.T.I. insisted on Masters, First Mates and Chief Engineers. holding British nationality. The Hong Kong shipowners made it clear that it was difficult to find qualified and competent British officers. They therefore employed senior officers who had certificates of competency from countries such as Taiwan. D.E.S. explained that many Hong Kong Chinese officers took the exams for certificates of competency in Taiwan, partly because the exams there could be taken in Chinese, but largely because like so much of the population of Hong Kong they were persons of Chinese race, resident in Hong Kong, and not British nationals and thus ineligible to take the D.T.I. exams. The Minister said that Taiwan had been excluded from the list of "traditional maritime countries! because it was understood that the standards of their examinations were very low. Mr. C.Y. Tung said that IMCO and many large countries fully accepted the Tain certificate of competency. Standards were high, and senior officers with Taiwan certificates had proved to be extremely competent.
機疹
with offer" ("twing "%