159
Telephone: 265-5511
BRITISH EMBASSY
COMMERCIAL DEPARTMENT
No. I Ichiban-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan
BR Hervey Esq
Far Eastern Department
F CO
Dear Rogen,
HONG KONG REGISTER OF SHIPPING
14 December, 1973
HKK 2112.
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Dame 18.12
Cipes
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1. Subsequent to my letter to you of 27 November we had a further opportunity to discuss the implications of the establishment of a Hong Kong Register of Shipping with Captain Anderson, Deputy Chief Surveyor, Marine Division in the DTI who, like Dr Cowley, was a member of the team which visited Japan. I should perhaps explain that our previous discussions with the members of the team when they called on the Embassy for a preliminary briefing session were inhibited by the presence of a representative of the Marine Department in Hong Kong.
2. Captain Anderson explained that when the team had received their briefing from the FCO prior to their departure from the UK, they had been told that one of the reasons why HMG wished to placate the Hong Kong Government over the establishment of the Hong Kong Register was that meeting Hong Kong's wishes in this area would enhance the chances of the British consortium's bid for the Hong Kong Mass Transit Project.
3. We asked Captain Anderson if he could give any estimate of the potential loss to British Marine Equipment Manufacturers from the establishment of a Hong Kong Register. Unlike Dr Cowley, Captain Anderson tended to discount the impact on British marine equipment manufacturers. He said that at the moment most of the ships built for Hong Kong owners were registered under flags of convenience in Liberia and Panama. As a result they did not use British equipment. (c f paragraph 6(b) of my letter to you of 27 November). Hence when these ships were transferred to a Hong Kong Register there would be no loss to the British manufacturers. He went on to say that the type of equipment the standards of which were prescribed by statute (and therefore mainly British manufactured) was only a small proportion of the total equipment installed in any ship. The types of items covered by statute were set out in paragraph 3 of Hong Kong's telegram no 88. Captain Anderson said that these types of safety equipment were not ones which he thought British manufacturers would be very interested in selling to Japan. We suggested however that at least Mr Maxwell of the
/British
Every effort is made to ensure that the information given herein is accurate, but no legal responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions in that information and no responsibility is accepted in regard to the standing of any firms, companies or individuals mentioned.