BACKGROUND
CONFIDENTIAL
1
The Port
1.
Hong Kong has developed around its port. In 1984 the port handled around 12,000 ocean-going vessels. The 1985 figure is expected to be 11% higher, primarily because of the growth in transhipment trade. Hong Kong's re-exports through the port to China have increased by 80% by volume over the last year.
In 1984
2. Half of the traffic through the port is containerised.
2.1 million 24-foot equivalent units were handled. Hong Kong ranks
as the world's third largest container port after Rotterdam and New
York. It handles about three times the volume of Felixstowe. Plans
are now in hand to extend the container port by over 50 hectares.
Proposals for a new register
3.
territories,
course be able
of the Joint
Administrative
Hong Kong is at present, like other dependent
British port of registry. After 1997 it will not of
to retain this status.
Annex I Section VIII
Declaration provides that "The Hong Kong Special
Region shall be authorised
by
the Central People's Government to
continue to maintain a shipping register and issue related
certificates under its Own legislation in the name of "Hong Kong,
China"," In order to
en sure a smooth transition the Hong Kong
Government propose to
introduce a separate and autonomous Hong Kong
register well before 1997. They attach great importance to this both for political reasons (a viable register will help maintain confidence in Hong Kong and further enhance its autonomy after 1997)
and commercial ones (the 820 ships currently on the Hong Kong register (gross tonnage 6.4 million) represent only a small part of the beneficially-owned Hong Kong fleet of about 55 million tons, which constitutes about 10% of the world's merchant fleet. The Hong
Kong Government hope that the new register will attract back
the Hong Kong owned ships which are currently registered under flags
of convenience).
some of
CONFIDENTIAL