XN000022-1973-12-13 — Page 6

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Thursday, December 13, 1973

PROPOSED HONG KONG SHIPPING REGISTER

UK Study Team Completes Work

ET

The British study team of the Department of Trade and Industry has

completed its work in Hong Kong in relation to the proposed Hong Kong

Register of Shipping.

The team is led by Dr. J. Cowley and comprises Mr. G.W. Thompson,

Captain E.G. Anderson and Mr. A.J. Hunt. On return to the United Kingdom

a comprehensive report will be prepared and submitted to the department.

The team has not been concerned with policy matters. Their terms

of reference were confined to professional and technical matters. Any terms

which may be negotiated for a separate Register will be in the nature of a

package and it is not possible to forecast before further discussions in

London what form such a package might take. No decision has yet been taken

on the establishment of a separate Register.

Whilst in Hong Kong, the members of the team have studied in depth

many aspects of the proposed Register and their work has included visits

to Hong Kong-owned ships in normal service to meet the officers and crews

and to witness the general operation of the vessels. In addition, a number of

deck and engineer officers were interviewed with the object of assessing the

general standards appertaining to Hong Kong-owned ships.

Local suppliers, servicers and manufacturers of safety equipment

have been visited to examine the facilities available and to ascertain the

part which they fulfil in the shipping industry. Ship repair and dockyards

were of interest to the team not only in relation to their ship servicing

function but also with reference to the part which they might play in

providing practical training for future marine engineer officers.

/Since the