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it is not realistic to provide for a continuance of
acceptance on the register of vessels owned by companies.
incorporated or by individuals resident outside Hong
Kong. We acknowledge that some companies have long and
traditional links with Hong Kong and have had their ships.
registered here for very many years. A Hong Kong
Register, however, means that the traditional link will
have to be replaced by a genuine Hong Kong link.
3.10.
We do, however, see a place for transitional
arrangements concerning individual ships which are
already on the existing register. Provided they continue
to meet specified standards we recommend that ships on
the Hong Kong Register at an appropriate date may be
included in the new register. (Given that the present
economic life of a ship is little more than 10 years,
these transitional arrangements are likely to be no
longer required by about the year 2000.) The requirement
for owners of these ships to have a legally accountable
representative in Hong Kong would remain. It would not
be necessary for them to comply with the ownership or
principal place of business criteria (see para. 3.15
below).