THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1993
20
HK TO JOIN REGIONAL EFFORT TO FIGHT AGAINST SUB-STANDARD SHIPS
HONG KONG IS TO JOIN HANDS WITH OTHER MARITIME AUTHORITIES IN ASIA-PACIFIC REGION ΤΟ FIGHT AGAINST SUB-STANDARD SHIPPING, THE DIRECTOR OF MARINE, MR ALLAN PYRKE, SAID IN TOKYO THIS (THURSDAY) AFTERNOON.
MR PYRKE AND THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF MARINE (SHIPPING), MR JOHN CHI-YAN TSE, ARE CURRENTLY IN TOKYO TO REPRESENT HONG KONG AT THE FINAL PREPARATORY MEETING ON ASIA PACIFIC REGIONAL CO-OPERATION ON PORT STATE CONTROL.
"PARTICIPANTS AT THE MEETING HAVE REACHED AN AGREEMENT IN THE FORM OF A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU) TO IMPROVE MARITIME SAFETY, TO PROTECT THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT AND TO IMPROVE THE WELFARE OF SEAFARERS," MR PYRKE SAID AT THE END OF THE FOUR-DAY MEETING WHICH BEGAN ON MONDAY,
"AS A MAJOR MARITIME AND SHIPPING CENTRE WITH ITS OWN SHIPPING REGISTER, HONG KONG'S PARTICIPATION IN REGIONAL CO-OPERATION ON PORT STATE CONTROL DEMONSTRATES ITS DETERMINATION AS A RESPONSIBLE MARITIME AUTHORITY AND THE OPERATOR OF A REPUTABLE REGISTER OF SHIPS," MR PYRKE SAID.
"IT ALSO SHOWS TO THE INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING COMMUNITY THAT HONG KONG IS ENDEAVOURED TO IMPROVE MARITIME SAFETY AND THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT,' HE ADDED.
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· SEVENTEEN MARITIME AUTHORITIES IN THE PACIFIC BASIN ATTENDED THE MEETING WHICH WAS. CHAIRED BY THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE SHIP SAFETY DIRECTORATE OF THE CANADIAN COAST GUARD, MR MICHAEL HUBBARD.
REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANISATION, INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANISATION AND THE PARIS MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WERE ALSO PRESENTED AT THE MEETING.
FOLLOWING A SERIES OF PREPARATORY MEETINGS OVER THE PAST THREE DAYS, THE PARTICIPANTS UNANIMOUSLY AGREED ON THE SETTING UP OF THE TOKYO MOU.
THE
THE MOU WILL BE SERVED BY A SECRETARIAT LOCATED IN TOKYO. SECRETARIAT WILL OPERATE INDEPENDENTLY FROM PARTICIPATING MARITIME AUTHORITIES AND OTHER ORGANISATIONS, BUT IT WILL BE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED AS A GOVERNING BODY UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE MOU," MR PYRKE SAID.
FOR
"THE TOKYO MOU WILL TAKE EFFECT ON OR AFTER APRIL 1, 1994 EACH PARTICIPATING MARITIME AUTHORITY ON THE DATE THAT ITS ACCEPTANCE IS NOTIFIED TO THE SECRETARIAT," MR PYRKE SAID.
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"A SHIP INSPECTION DATA BASE THAT CAN BE ACCESSED AND BY PARTICIPATING MARITIME AUTHORITIES TO TARGET SUB-STANDARD WILL BE OPERATED BY THE CANADIAN COAST GUARD, HE SAID.
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MR PYRKE SHARED MR HUBBARD'S REMARKS ON THE MEETING.
UP-DATED SHIPPING
/MR HUBBARD