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"As regards officers we considered whether
any priority in obtaining employment on ships
on the new register should be accorded to
suitably qualified Hong Kong officers. In the
CD we suggested that 'consideration should be
given to requiring at least the master to have
the right of abode in Hong Kong'. The UN
Conference's alternative requirement as
regards manning (para. 1 of Article 6 at Annex
C) is that a satisfactory part of the ship's
complement should be nationals or persons
lawfully in permanent residence in the State
of registration.
Notwithstanding the
likelihood of a considerable shortfall in the
availability of qualified Hong Kong officers,
it is suggested that certain officers should
only be employed if they had the right of
abode in Hong Kong. In line with present
practice as regards British officers it is
proposed that the Master, Chief Officer and
Chief Egineer should be persons with the right
of abode in Hong Kong. Any deficiency in
numbers would be met by the issue of
appropriate permits to the ship's owners.
provide for the employment of officers not
otherwise entitled".