1
EMBARGOED NEWS ITEM
110:
F
Thursday, September 13, 1973
R
- Pl send an ecopy wo/ecompo
to recipients of ESBOT 343
Then put by on
The following item is enbargoed until 1.30 a.m. tomorrow (Friday). A similar announcement will be made in London at about the same time.
рабщо
21/12.
14/9
UK MISSION TO LOOK INTO PROPOSED SEPARATE REGISTER OF SHIPPING
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An official British delegation is to visit Hong Kong shortly to study arrangements for a proposed separate register of shipping in Hong
Kong.
Announcing this, the Minister for Aerospace and Shipping, Mr. Michael Heseltine, said that the team comprised officials from the Marine Division
of the Department of Trade and Industry.
No date for the visit has yet been fixed.
However, Mr. Heseltine said that the team would study in detail, with the Director of Marine and his staff, the feasibility of setting up
a separate register of shipping in Hong Kong.
It is expected to complete its study by the end of the year..
This will be followed by further consultations with both sides
of the industry before a decision is taken, in the light of these consultations,
on the team's report and the amount of tonnage which Hong Kong shipowners agree to bring on to a separate register if established.
The Hong Kong government and shipowners have expressed the wish to establish a separate register under the red ensign with standards equivalent to those attached to the United Kingdom register but with greater flexibility in order to reflect the situation in Hong Kong as regards availability of
personnel, materials and safety equipment.
/This may
......