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Transport
Seafarers
The Marine 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. In 2014, 49,659 seafarers of different nationalities served on board Hong Kong-registered seagoing ships and 1,531 officers and ratings served on high-speed ferries plying within the Pearl River Delta Region.
The Sea-going Training Incentive Scheme is designed to attract local graduates to join the maritime profession in Hong Kong by providing financial incentives for them to take up sea- going cadetship training. By December 2014, 347 cadets had joined the scheme since it started in July 2004.
Participation in International Maritime Activities
International Maritime Organisation
The HKSAR Government, under the name 'Hong Kong, China, is an associate member of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and has a permanent representative in London. The Hong Kong maritime industry is consulted on, and closely informed of, all issues discussed at IMO meetings that may affect Hong Kong. In 2014, HKSAR Government officials attended 17 IMO meetings. Topics discussed included enhancing maritime safety and security, measures to reduce marine pollution, matters related to maritime laws, seafarers' training and certification of standards, facilitation of international maritime traffic, and other maritime matters.
Port State Control
Hong Kong is a member of the MoU on Port State Control (PSC) in the Asia-Pacific Region. The Marine Department participates in its various activities, including leading the Advisory Group on Technical Co-operation Programmes and as a member of three other working groups.
In 2014, the Marine Department's officers conducted 736 initial PSC inspections on foreign ocean-going ships, or 15.7 per cent of all foreign ocean-going ships that visited Hong Kong. About 6.39 per cent of ships inspected were detained because of serious deficiencies that needed immediate attention.
Maritime Search and Rescue
The Marine Department's Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) co-ordinates search and rescue operations within Hong Kong waters and in international waters of the South China. Sea. Its area of responsibility covers about 450,000 square nautical miles. The MRCC is manned by professional staff and equipped with modern communications equipment for receiving distress alerts and communicating with ships.
Government Fleet and Dockyard
Government Fleet
The government fleet, with over 800 vessels, serves 14 government departments. The Marine Department itself controls 75 vessels. These include patrol launches, purpose-built conveyance launches, pontoons, hydrographic survey launches and explosives carriers. These vessels either
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