XN000022-1986-10-14 — Page 2

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1986

PRINCIPLES FOR HK SHIPPING REGISTER PUBLISHED

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THE GOVERNMENT TODAY (TUESDAY) PUBLISHED A STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES TO BE ADOPTED FOR THE OPERATION OF THE MODIFIED HONG KONG REGISTER OF SHIPPING.

THIS FOLLOWS THE PUBLICATION IN MAY LAST YEAR OF A CONSULTATIVE DOCUMENT AND DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS AT THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP,

THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, DR ALAN MCLEAN EXPLAINED THAT THE BACKGROUND WAS THAT HONG KONG WAS AT PRESENT A BRITISH PORT OF REGISTRY AND CONSEQUENTLY ITS SHIPPING REGISTER FORMED PART OF THE BRITISH REGISTER,

+CLEARLY THIS WILL CEASE TO BE THE POSITION ON JULY 1, 1997+ HE SAID. +STEPS MUST THEREFORE BE TAKEN TO SEPARATE THE HONG KONG REGISTER FROM THE BRITISH REGISTER WELL BEFORE 1997 SO AS TO ENABLE THERE TO BE A SMOOTH TRANSITION IN 1997.+

DR MCLEAN SAID THAT THE BASIC PRINCIPLES UNDER WHICH THE REGISTER WOULD OPERATE ARE 1

* HIGH STANDARDS OF MARINE SAFETY WILL BE MAINTAINED

* ELIGIBILITY FOR EMPLOYMENT ON SHIPS WILL BE DETERMINED

BY REFERENCE TO PROFESSIONAL OR TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS:

* THERE WILL BE A STRONG LINK BETWEEN HONG KONG AND THE

SHIPS ON ITS REGISTER BY VIRTUE OF THE FACT THAT CORPORATE OWNERS WILL HAVE TO BE INCORPORATED IN HONG KONG, INDIVIDUAL OWNERS WILL BE ORDINARILY RESIDENT IN HONG KONG AND THE SHIPS MUST BE MANAGED AND CONTROLLED FROM HONG KONG ;

* THE REGISTER WILL BE ADMINISTERED BY THE HONG KONG

GOVERNMENT UNTIL JUNE 30, 1997 AND THE SAR GOVERNMENT THERE AFTER

* EQUIPMENT USED ON BOARD SHIPS REGISTERED IN HONG KONG MUST BE UP TO INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED STANDARDS;

* TO DENOTE THE FACT THAT IT IS ON THE HONG KONG

REGISTER THE SHIP WILL FLY TWO FLAGS FROM THE STERN. THESE WILL BE THE APPROPRIATE NATIONAL FLAG (THE RED ENSIGN UP TO JUNE 30, 1997 AND THE PRC FLAG THEREAFTER) AND THE HONG KONG FLAG AS IT MAY BE AT THE TIME;

* THE REGISTER WILL BE SELF-FINANCING AND

* THERE WILL BE A REVIEW OF HONG KONG'S TRAINING SYSTEM

FOR SEAFARERS TO ENSURE THE SYSTEM MATCHES, AT ALL LEVELS, THE REQUIREMENTS OF HONG KONG AND ITS SEAFARERS.

/DR MCLEAN

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