1 -
-
TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 1992
HK STRENGTHENING ITS STATUS AS WORLD MARITIME CENTRE
ACTIVITIES
HONG KONG WAS STEPPING UP ITS PARTICIPATION IN THE OF INTERNATIONAL BODIES ON MARITIME AND PORT MATTERS, THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, MRS ANSON CHAN SAID.
SPEAKING AT THE INTERNATIONAL SHIPPERS' CONFERENCE TODAY (TUESDAY), MRS CHAN SAID THE TERRITORY WOULD DEFEND IT'S SHIPPING INTERESTS AND ENSURE THAT SEABORNE TRADE BETWEEN HONG KONG AND THE REST OF THE WORLD WOULD BE CONDUCTED WITH THE LEAST POSSIBLE RED TAPE.
"WE ARE STRENGTHENING OUR STATUS AS A WORLD MARITIME
SHE SAID.
1.
CENTRE,
OUTLINING MEASURES TO STRENGTHEN SUCH A STATUS, MRS CHAN SAID THE TERRITORY ESTABLISHED ITS OWN SHIPPING REGISTER IN DECEMBER 1990.
"IT HAS SINCE BEEN PERFORMING VERY WELL.
"WE EXPECT IT TO PERFORM EVEN BETTER WHEN WE ARE IN A POSITION TO ENACT THE NECESSARY LEGISLATION TO REMOVE PROFITS TAX LIABILITY FOR HONG KONG REGISTERED SHIPS, SHE SAID.
THE NECESSARY BILL WAS PUBLISHED A FEW DAYS AGO, SHE ADDED.
MRS CHAN SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS AT THE SAME TIME LOCALISING AMOUNT OF UK MERCHANT SHIPPING LEGISLATION WITH SUITABLE MODIFICATIONS.
VAST
"THIS IS ΤΟ ENSURE THAT, COME 1997, THERE WILL NOT BE ANY DISRUPTION то THE REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR SHIPPING AND RELATED INDUSTRIES, SHE SAID.
It
TURNING TO THE PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE PORT, MRS CHAN SAID 1991 HONG KONG HANDLED OVER 6 MILLION CONTAINERS, A 21 PER CENT INCREASE OVER 1990.
IN
"PORT DEVELOPMENT PLANS ARE WELL ADVANCED TO PROVIDE FACILITIES NEEDED TO MEET THIS FORECAST DEMAND, SHE SAID.
17
PRINCIPALLY BY THE
"THESE DEVELOPMENTS WILL BE UNDERTAKEN PRIVATE SECTOR, BUT UNDER AN OVERALL STRATEGIC PLAN MONITORED AND UPDATED ON THE ADVICE OF OUR PORT DEVELOPMENT BOARD.
"BY 1997, WE EXPECT TOTAL TERMINAL HANDLING CAPACITY TO REACH 8.8 MILLION TEUS.
"OUR
STRATEGIC PLAN THEN PROVIDES FOR INCREMENTAL DEVELOPMENT OF A MASSIVE NEW PORT ON LANTAU ISLAND IN THE WESTERN PART OF OUR HARBOUR FROM 1997 ONWARDS, SHE SAID.
..
"HONG KONG HAS A LONG HISTORY AS A MAJOR SHIP OWNING, SHIP MANAGEMENT AND SHIP FINANCING CENTRE.
"WE ARE TAKING A SERIES OF MEASURES TO ENSURE THAT THE SYSTEM FOR ALL THESE IS UP-TO-DATE AND SELF-CONTAINED," SHE SAID.
0
/2