XN000022-1978-08-28 — Page 4

MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 1978

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SEAMEN RECRUITING OFFICE

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AT THE END OF LAST YEAR, ABOUT 22,740 HONG KONG SEAMEN WERE SERVING IN OVER 1,300 SHIPS REGISTERED IN PORTS OF NEARLY ALL MARITIME COUNTRIES, ACCORDING TO STATISTICS RELEASED TODAY BY THE MARINE DEPARTMENT.

THE FIGURE REPRESENTS A SLIGHT DECLINE OF ABOUT SIX PER CENT WHEN COMPARED WITH 24,200 SEAMEN IN 1976.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID MANY OF THESE SEAMEN WERE EMPLOYED THROUGH A CENTRALISED SYSTEM OPERATED BY THE SEAMEN'S RECRUITING OFFICE OF THE DEPARTMENT.

LAST YEAR, MORE THAN 5,300 SEAMEN WERE SUPPLIED BY THE RECRUITMENT OFFICE.

UNDER THE CENTRALISED SYSTEM, THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED, A SEAMAN WISHING TO APPLY FOR A JOB CAN HAVE HIS NAME ENTERED IN THE GENERAL ROSTER HELD BY THE MARINE DEPARTMENT. HE MAY ALSO APPLY FOR HIS NAME TO BE ENTERED IN INDIVIDUAL COMPANY ROSTERS OR IN A LICENSED CREW DEPARTMENT LIST,

LICENSED CREW DEPARTMENTS ARE OPERATED BY INDIVIDUAL SHIPPING COMPANIES AND LAST YEAR 31 COMPANIES WERE LICENSED TO MAINTAIN CREW DEPARTMENTS.

+FOR THE BENEFIT OF SEAMEN, FREQUENT INSPECTIONS ON THESE CREW DEPARTMENTS ARE CARRIED OUT BY THE MARINE DEPARTMENT TO ENSURE THAT THE COMPANIES COMPLIED WITH THE CONDITIONS COVERING THE IR OPERATION, HE SAID.

BUT A COMPANY WHICH DOES NOT OPERATE A LICENSED CREW DEPARTMENT MAY OBTAIN PERMISSION TO HAVE A COMPANY ROSTER WITHIN THE SEAMEN RECRUITING OFFICE ON WHICH TO LIST SEAMEN WHO ARE PREPARED TO SERVE ON THAT COMPANY'S SHIPS.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID MUSTERS OF SEAMEN WERE HELD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR IN THE RECRUITMENT OFFICE FOR BOTH GENERAL ROSTER AND COMPANY ROSTER PURPOSES IN ORDER TO PREVENT MALPRACTICE AND TO ENSURE THAT SEAMEN ARE FULLY AWARE OF THE CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT BEING OFFERED. IN ADDITION, ACCEPTED MINIMUM CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT ARE CONTAINED IN A STANDARD FORMAT PREPARED BY THE RECRUITMENT OFFICE AND REGULARLY UPDATED.

HE ADDED HOWEVER, LICENSED CREW DEPARTMENTS AND COMPANIES OPERATING COMPANY ROSTERS MAY ALSO SELECT SEAMEN FROM THE GENERAL ROSTER IF SEAMEN ARE NOT AVAILABLE IN THE COMPANY'S LISTS OR ROSTERS.

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