XN000022-1974-01-09 — Page 10

9

ON

Wednesday, January 9, 1974

HEADWAY BEING MADE ON SEPARATE HONG KONG SHIPPING REGISTER

Considerable progress has been made in clarifying difficulties

which would be involved in the establishment of a separate Hong Kong Shipping

Register and in defining the attitudes of the British and Hong Kong governments

to the issues involved, the Financial Secretary, the Hon. C.P. Haddon-Cave,

told council today.

These relate essentially to the employment of certain non-British

qualified officers and the acceptability of certain types of safety equipment

of non-British manufacturers on Hong Kong-owned ships," he said.

Close liaison was also being maintained with the Hong Kong Shipowners'

Association and the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce.

The report was now being awaited of the British team which recently

conducted an in-depth study of the local shipping industry.

Mr. Haddon-Cave envisaged that after the report had been received and

studied, further discussions would be necessary with the Department of Trade

and Industry in order to reach an agreed view on the conditions for the

establishment of a separate shipping register.

This view, he said, would have to strike a balance between the U.K.

government's desire not to permit any lowering of essential standards of ships

flying the Red Ensign, and the Hong Kong shipowners' insistence that the

associated conditions should be such that the viability of their operations

would not be jeopardised in any way.

/In reply

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