XN000022-1990-03-26 — Page 5

MONDAY, MARCH 26, 1990

HK SHIPPING REGISTER TO KEEP UP HIGH STANDARDS

THE

UP

AND THE HIGH STANDARDS FOR SAFETY AT SEA

PROTECTION OF MARINE ENVIRONMENT WILL CONTINUE TO BE MAINTAINED WITH THE SETTING OF HONG KONG'S OWN REGISTER OF SHIPPING AT THE END OF THIS YEAR, THE DIRECTOR OF MARINE, MR MICHAEL C.C. SZE, SAID THIS (MONDAY) AFTERNOON.

THE ORIGIN OF THE PROPOSAL TO ESTABLISH A NEW AND AUTONOMOUS

LIES IN THE REGISTER OF SHIPPING FOR HONG KONG

SINO-BRITISH JOINT SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE DECLARATION WHICH PROVIDES THAT THE HONG KONG REGION (SAR) SHALL MAINTAIN ITS PREVIOUS

OF SYSTEMS

SHIPPING MANAGEMENT AND REGULATION.

TO

TO CONTINUE

MAINTAIN A

THE SAR SHALL ALSO BE AUTHORISED SHIPPING REGISTER AND ISSUE CERTIFICATES UNDER ITS OWN LEGISLATION.

MR SZE TOLD A MEETING OF THE HONG KONG SOCIETY OF INSURANCE BROKERS THAT THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SHIPS, THEIR SURVEY, AND

USED ON PERFORMANCE CRITERIA FOR EQUIPMENT TO BE

KONG BOARD HONG REGISTERED SHIPS, WOULD BE STRICTLY IN

WITH ACCORDANCE INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED STANDARDS.

* MR SZK HONG

"AN INTERESTING ASPECT IS THAT IN RESPECT OF MANNING, SAID. "THE PRINCIPLES REQUIRE THAT ELIGIBILITY FOR EMPLOYMENT IN

BY REFERENCES ONLY KONG SHIPS WILL BE DETERMINED

TO PROFESSIONAL AT LEAST EQUIVALENT TO QUALIFICATIONS HELD, WHICH ARE JUDGED TO BE THOSE ISSUED IN HONG KONG.

"THIS MEANS THAT NO NATIONALITY REQUIREMENTS WILL BE SPECIFIED FOR THE MASTER OR ANY OF THE OFFICERS OR CREW.

NOT

MR SZE SAID REASONS FOR

INSISTING UPON ANY REQUIREMENT

RESIDENTIAL LINK THAT THERE SHOULD AT LEAST BE SOME SORT OF

BETWEEN HONG KONG AND THE CREWS OF HONG KONG REGISTERED SHIPS WERE THREE FOLD.

"FIRST, IN ORDER TO MEET OUR OBJECTIVES FOR TO TAKE OVER SMOOTHLY FROM THE OLD THERE SHOULD BE AS POSSIBLE.

THE NEW REGISTER AS LITTLE CHANGE

"TO INTRODUCE A NEW REQUIREMENT FOR NATIONALITY OR RESIDENT

BEARING IN MIND STATUS WHICH DOES NOT EXIST AT PRESENT,

THAT THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE MASTER AND OFFICERS TO BE BRITISH MUST BE REMOVED, WOULD BE INCONSISTENT WITH THAT OBJECTIVE."

THIRD

OF ALL THE POST'S FILLED BY HONG

ANOTHER REASON WAS THAT MORE THAN A AVAILABLE IN HONG KONG REGISTERED SHIPS WERE ALREADY KONG SEAFARERS, MAKING COMPULSION UNNECESSARY, MR SZE SAID.

"AND THIRD, SINCE THE NUMBER OF QUALIFIED HONG KONG OFFICERS DEMAND NOW AND IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE IS INADEQUATE TO MEET THE

REGISTER WOULD FROM SHIPS PRESENTLY REGISTERED IN HONG KONG, THE NEW

BY

UPON RELYING EITHER START OFF IN AN UNSATISFACTORY WAY

LARGE

SIZE OF THE FLEET NUMBER OF EXEMPTIONS OR THE

WOULD HAVE TO BE RESTRICTED TO MEET THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS AVAILABLE.

A

/"THIS WAS