CONFIDENTIAL
DECK MANNING AND QUALIFICATIONS
10. It was recalled that the UK requirements for deck manning were recommended in 'M' notice 489 and were observed on UK ships as if they were law, The NUS had expressed concern that the standards for Hong Kong ships should be equivalent to these. Mr Fletcher said that Hong Kong was developing its own system of qualifications and requirements for deck manning and that this would be similar to the UK system. The Hong Kong shipowners were in fact very keen on the new system: with 70,000 seamen registered in Hong Kong, there was no shortage, but there was a problem of maintaining standards, so the Hong Kong Government would develop its new arrangements as quickly as possible. It was in any case agreed that by the time the new register was set up, Hong Kong would be operating a set of deck manning requirements like those in force in the UK and that any more stringent requirements introduced in the UK in the future would also be followed by Hong Kong. The Hong Kong shipowners would have to be informed of the need to take steps to get their seamen qualified by the time the register was set up.
RADIO OFFICERS
11. The easement of nationality requirements for radio officers presented no particular problem: the ITU-approved examinations could be taken in foreign languages and there was no objection to dispensing with the present requirement that radio officers should be British subjects. A PEG radio expert would probably have to be seconded to Hong Kong with the other surveyors from the UK to ensure the maintenance of the technical standards. It was noted that Hong Kong shipowners found it difficult to secure the services of properly qualified radio officers and there was a need for information about this problem.
APPLICATION OF HONG KONG LAW OUTSIDE HONG KONG
12. It was agreed that the Hong Kong Ordinance would be amended so as to apply to Hong Kong registered ships outside Hong Kong along the lines of s 2,2 of the MSA 1967.
CREW ACCOMMODATION AND SAFETY EQUIPMENT
13. It was agreed that Hong Kong would maintain UK standards of space and amenity and move with the UK as these were raised and in particular as new regulatione implementing the 1970 ILO Convention were introduced. The same applied in the case of UK requirements relating to means of escape and to safety equipment.
14. As regards the approval of materials, the seconded UK surveyors would need to satisfy themselves that they had been type-tested on similar lines to the UK arrangements. Any materials 80 approved could then be used on both Hong Kong and UK ships. This was an advantage on both sides since it was important for the UK as well as Hong Kong that materials used in Japanese ship- yards should be acceptable for safety purposes,
3
CONFIDENTIAL