13
Companies incorporated in Hong Kong
3.11.
There was little comment on the need for this
aspect of the link other than the suggestion that to be
too tough could lead to a loss of vessels from the
register. We do not feel that, taken overall, our link
proposals are unreasonable.
We therefore recommend that
only companies incorporated in Hong Kong should have the
right (but not the obligation) to register vessels in
their ownership on the new Hong Kong Register.
Individual Ownership
3.12..
The necessity to retain this category of
ownership was queried on the grounds that ships are
invariably owned by companies. In practice a number of
small vessels on the existing register are individually
owned and it is right that we should continue to provide
for them. We do not think, however, that the definition
"a person with the right of abode in Hong Kong" is
necessarily the most appropriate since the right of abode
does not necessarily require a presence.
In the
circumstances we feel that the concept of an individual
ordinarily resident in Hong Kong (in the concept of the
Inland Revenue or Immigration Ordinance) is the most
appropriate. This is an area where further study will be