Tel
London S.W.I
A T Baillie Esq Government House Anguilla
Dear Governor.
SHIPPING REGISTERS
*
3 January 1986
MRS 175/450l
6 JAN 086
1. Within the next three months the Government of the Cayman Islands intends to introduce legislation restricting its shipping register to ships below 500 tons except where a close connection with the territory can be established. There are about 140 ships on the Cayman Islands register above this size. (List attached). We expect owners of these ships to be allowed some months to remove them from the register. During this interval some may seek to place their ships on foreign registers but others may seek to transfer registry from one British port to another under Section 53 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1894. The Government of the Cayman Islands has made no particular secret of the fact that their register has proved to be more trouble than it is worth. Without the applicability of the international maritime conventions on safety and pollution and a competent maritime administration to enforce their requirements, some of the ships attracted to the register have been sub- standard and been involved in more than their fair share of incidents and casualties. The Government of the Cayman Islands also appreciates that it would be unfortunate to solve its own problem at the cost of exporting it to other British territories. The purpose of this letter is a) to alert you to the possibility that Cayman Islands ships may attempt to transfer registry to your Territory and b) suggest that your Territory may wish to take action similar to that taken by the Cayman Islands. The power the Government of the Cayman Islands is taking is to refuse to accept the transfer of ships from other British ports under Section 53 of the 1894 Act. draft model clause which achiever this is enclosed.
A
2. I should be grateful to hear of cases of attempted transfer of registry, and also to know whether you see scope in your Territory for taking action on the lines of that being taken in the Cayman Islands.
MKK 175/
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
28 JAN1986
REGISTRY
PA
| Action Taken
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
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