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Marine accidents in Hong Kong
Following is a question by the Hon Zachary Wong and a written reply by the acting Secretary for Economic Services, Mr Leo Kwan, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):
Question:
Reply:
Will the Government inform this Council:
(a)
(b)
(c)
હ
(a)
whether cargo vessels and passenger liners entering Hong Kong waters are currently required to take out third party insurance to ensure that vessels which have caused accidents in Hong Kong waters resulting in casualties and property losses pay compensation to the victims concerned;
if the answer to part (a) is in the negative, which party would be held responsible for paying compensation in the event of the occurrence of such accidents; and if the vessels causing the accidents are not registered in Hong Kong, whether the Marine Department can prosecute the vessels where they have contravened certain regulations; and
of the number of accidents which have occurred in Hong Kong waters in the past three years involving locally-registered vessels being hit by vessels not registered in Hong Kong, the total amount of losses incurred by such accidents, and the actions which have been taken by the Marine Department concerning these accidents?
The Marine Department requires ocean going vessels entering Hong Kong waters to comply with Conventions made under the auspices of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), of which Hong Kong is an Associate Member. Currently the IMO Conventions require compulsory liability insurance on tankers carrying more than 2,000 tons of oil. There is no mandatory requirement for ships other than this to carry third party insurance. It is however a matter of sound business sense for shipowners to take out such insurance and a recent survey of ocean going vessels indicates that 95% of such vessels carry third party insurance.