HONG KONG
LEGAL REPORT
Enclosure No. 2
THE MERCHANT SHIPPING (AMENDMENT) ORDINANCE 1980
(No. 64 of 1980)
Part VIII of the Merchant Shipping Ordinance provides for the holding of a preliminary inquiry, and the appointment of a marine court, to inquire into a shipping casualty which occurs on or near the coasts of Hong Kong. The Part does not apply where junks and lorchas are involved in a shipping casualty because the definition of "ship" in section 2 of the principal Ordinance does not embrace junks and lorchas whether mechanically propelled or not. The object of this Ordinance is to extend the application of that Part to shipping casualties involving junks and lorchas.
2. Section 2 of this Ordinance accordingly amends the definition of "ship" in section 2 of the principal Ordinance to exclude the application of that definition to Part VIII; and Section 3 inserts in Part VIII a new definition of "ship" to include every description of vessel used in navigation.
3. The amendment in section 4 is consequential.
4.
Before the Acting Governor assented to the Bill in the name and on behalf of Her Majesty, the Attorney General advised that he could properly do so.
10
November 1980.
ATTORNEY GENERAL'S CHAMBERS,
HONG KONG.
Со
Pfanne
Law Draftsman.