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Fast Track System for port formalities introduced
The Marine Department will adopt a "Fast Track System" to speed up port formalities for ocean-going vessels from January 3, 1995, a spokesman for the Marine department said today (Saturday).
Ship's agents who have confirmed their status in a recent postal survey will be placed on the Confirmed Register of Ship's Agents on January 3, 1995. All these agents will use this revised system for entering and clearing their vessels.
"The Fast Track System will significantly reduce the time that ship's agents spend on attending the Port Formalities Office of the Marine Department, bringing with them the originals of all requisite documents of the ships and proofs of the net registered tonnage," the spokesman pointed out.
When a ship arrives in Hong Kong, its agent should provide the department with documents such as its certificate of registry, tonnage certificate and safety certificate for checking.
An agent whose vessel is on the Fast Track System will only need to produce the documents when his vessel first calls at Hong Kong.
Document details and the net registered tonnage will be entered into the Marine Department's database.
When the vessel is ready to depart, the department will prepare a Port Clearance Permit, checking with the database for confirmation of document validity.
The agent will attend the Port Formalities Office and will be issued with the Port Clearance Permit on payment of the requisite fee, and the ship will be free to depart.
For the second and subsequent arrivals of the vessel, the agent will not be required to attend the Port Formalities Office with the documents except that any document has been renewed or extended since the vessel's previous port visit.
Agents that have not been approved for fast track clearances must produce, at the Port Formalities Office, all original documents relevant to the ships every time within 24 hours of the ship arrival, or if the office is closed, then at the first opening of the office and again on application for Port Clearance Permits.