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A HONG KONG REGISTER
Introduction and Summary
1. Hong Kong is at present a port of registry under the British flag.
There have in the past been demands for a separate Hong Kong register
This paper and there have recently been signs that these may be reviving. considers the advantages and disadvantages of a separate Hong Kong register for both Hong Kong and for the UK. It concludes that although there could short-term gains (and also costs) for Hong Kong, in the long run it is
not in either Hong Kong's or the UK's interest.
The Present Position
2.
Both the conditions of access to the British flag in Hong Kong
and the consequences of registration are identical to those applicable in Metropolitan UK. In order to be registered a vessel must belong either to a British subject or to a company established under, and subject to the laws of some part of HM dominions and having its principal place
of business there. Once registered its master, first and second mate,
and first and second engineer must each have certificates of service of
competency granted in the UK under the Merchant Shipping Acts or a
colonial certificate of competency having the same force.
means that its officers must be British.
This effectivel
(Note 1). The UK is a party
on Hong Kong's behalf to all the major safety, conventions which the
territory polices from its own resources.
There are no
doubts about
standards of vessel safety or safe manning in respect of vessels
registered in (or calling at) Hong Kong.
A Separate Hong Kong Register
3.
In 1973 there was pressure from Sir Y K Pao, Chairman of Worldwide
Shipping (the world's largest private shipping company) for the setting up
of a separate Hong Kong register which would not have the British officer
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