examination, The guidelines would need to be drawn up after
joint consideration by Marine Division and the Director of
Marine of the standards of the certificates most likely to be
involved. Processing of applications would be done by DTI-
seconded surveyors.
If the Hong Kong Government's expectation of support were
realised the exercise would involve an examination of the
qualification of three officers on each of some 270 ships over
a period of perhaps 2-4 years. This should be feasible with
the number of seconded officers proposal.
The above concessions would apply in addition to proposals
already made.
All these arrangements would apply only in respect of ships
owned by genuine Hong Kong shipowners. Any extension to UK,
European or other owners would be for entirely separate
consideration.
ito reflect upon
the compétence or integrity of the Directorate of Marine. It is designed,
It seems to the UK Government that these manning concessions
go virtually all the way to meet the objections of the Hong
Kong Government to previous proposals and represent the "nuch
larger measure of agreement" referred to in para 4 of the
Hong Kong Government's minute. Combined with the "guarantee"
represented by the secondment of DTI surveyors, the total
package should be widely acceptable. We should emphasise that
the secondment of surveyors is in no way, intended first, to
solve the practical difficulty of bringing a large number of
foreign-registered vessels on to Hong Kong register under
revised manning arrangements and, secondly, to avoid any risk of reprisals on Red Ensign ships based on "flag of convenience
allegations,
3