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THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 1985

HONG KONG RANKED AMONG THE TOP THREE CONTAINER PORTS IN THE WORLD, AND THERE WERE PLANS FOR FURTHER EXPANSION. RECLAMATION WORK AT KWAI CHUNG CONTAINER PORT WOULD INCREASE THE WORKING CAPACITY OF THE TERMINAL TO OVER TWO MILLION TEU'S A YEAR.

HONG KONG LIVED ITS TRADING CAPACITY AND HAD ALWAYS DONE SO, HE SAID.

+WE HAVE TO MAKE THE FULLEST USE OF OUR DEEP WATER PORT IN AID OF TRADE AND COMMERCE. WE HAVE DEVELOPED OUR CAPACITY AND TO HANDLE CARGOES BY UP-TO-DATE METHODS IN RECENT YEARS. WE MUST CONTINUE TO MODERNISE OUR PORT FACILITIES AND KEEP HONG KONG IN THE FOREFRONT OF REGIONAL ECONOMIC ACTIVITY.

MR THOMAS SAID THAT THE DRAFTING OF AN UP-TO-DATE CODE TO COVER THE OWNERSHIP AND REGISTRATION OF SHIPS IN HONG KONG, AND TO DEVISE AND ENFORCE STANDARDS OF CERTIFICATION FOR THEIR SEAWORTHINESS AND SAFE OPERATION PROVIDED THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE LAW DRAFTSMEN WITH A DAUNTING BUT CHALLENGING TASK.

+GOVERNMENT HAS ALREADY BEGUN A DIALOGUE WITH THE HONG KONG SHIPOWNERS ASSOCIATION TO DEFINE THE SCOPE OF THE TASK AND THE BEST WAY FORWARD, MR THOMAS SAID.

IF SUITABLE LEGISLATIVE ARRANGEMENTS COULD BE MADE TO PROVIDE THEM WITH MODERN AND EFFICIENT FACILITIES FOR REGISTRATION, HE COULD SEE A FUTURE FOR HONG KONG AS A SHIPPING CENTRE THAT WOULD DEMONSTRATE THE REALITY OF ITS CONTRIBUTION TO SEA TRANSPORT THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

MR THOMAS SAID THAT HE UNDERSTOOD THAT IT WOULD TAKE FIVE YEARS FOR THE ADMINISTRATORS AND THE DRAFTSMEN TO PROVIDE THE LEGISLATIVE ADMINISTRATIVE AND TECHNICAL FRAMEWORK WITHIN WHICH HONG KONG COULD ESTABLISH AN INTERNATIONAL REPUTATION AND STANDING AS A SEPARATE SHIPPING REGISTER.

REFERRING TO ANOTHER TOPIC OF INTEREST, MR THOMAS RECALLED THAT THE GOVERNMENT INTENDED TO INTRODUCE LÉGISLATION BY THE MIDDLE OF THIS YEAR TO PROVIDE FOR COMPULSORY PILOTAGE OF CERTAIN VESSELS IN HONG KONG WATERS.

ALTHOUGH PILOTAGE SERVICES WERE AT PRESENT EMPLOYED ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS BY A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF OCEAN GOING VESSELS, COMPULSORY PILOTAGE WAS NOW NECESSARY TO ENSURE CONSISTENCY IN SAFETY STANDARDS FOR ALL SHIPS, HE SAID.

THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG AS A MAJOR SHIPPING CENTRE WAS A BRIGHT ONE, MR THOMAS SAID.

*WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION CLEARLY POINTING THE WAY TO INCREASED AUTONOMY IN THE SHIPPING FIELD TO THE MIDDLE OF THE 21ST CENTURY THERE SEEMS AMPLE SCOPE FOR THE CREATION OF A SUCCESSFUL HONG KONG FLEET OF SHIPS.

+THE GOVERNMENT IS DETERMINED TO PLAY ITS PART IN THE WAY I HAVE DISCUSSED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL THESE OPPORTUNITIES, + MR THOMAS SAID.

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