256 Transport
Hong Kong continued to attract quality ships in 2007. The total weight of ships calling at Hong Kong in 2007 amounted to 36 million gross tonnes, making the Hong Kong Shipping Register one of the top five shipping registers in the world.
To maintain high standards, the Marine Department conducts a Pre-registration Quality Control (PRQC) assessment of ships intending to join the register, as well as a Flag State Quality Control (FSQC) System to ensure ships on the register comply with. international standards. During the year, the department's surveyors and auditors. carried out a total of eight PRQC inspections and made 42 FSQC visits to ships and related companies. As a result of these quality control measures, the detention rate of Hong Kong-registered ships remained well below the world average.
The department implemented the annual tonnage charge reduction scheme in 2007. A total of 800 Hong Kong-registered ships benefited from the scheme during the year.
Marine Accident Investigations
The department's Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) investigates all marine accidents involving vessels in Hong Kong waters. The department also investigates all serious accidents outside Hong Kong involving Hong Kong-registered ships. The purpose of the investigation is to identify the root causes of the accidents to prevent them from happening again.
Investigation reports of all serious accidents are posted on the department's website and copies are made available to the public on request to promote maritime safety.
Depending on the seriousness of the accident and public interest, a public inquiry by a Marine Court may be ordered by the Chief Executive. In the case of an accident involving a licensed pilot, a Board of Investigation may be ordered by the Director of Marine. In 2007, the MAIB investigated 15 serious accidents.
Seafarers
The department's Shipping Registry and Seafarers Branch supervises the registration, employment, competence, discipline, health, safety and welfare of Hong Kong seafarers, as well as seafarers working on board Hong Kong-registered ships. During the year, some 22 000 seafarers of different nationalities served on board Hong Kong-registered ocean-going ships. About 1 300 officers and ratings served on high-speed passenger vessels plying within the Pearl River Delta Region.
A Sea-going Training Incentive Scheme was launched in July 2004 to boost the supply of local professionals with sea-going experience to meet the increasing demand of the maritime industry. The scheme provides financial incentives to school leavers to take up sea-going cadetship training, which paves the way for them to become shore-based professionals in the maritime industry. By year-end, a total of 71 cadets had joined the training scheme.