XN000022-1990-07-04 — Page 24

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 1990

"IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THIS PROVISION AND TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION OF THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE NEW HONG KONG REGISTER, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT IT BE ESTABLISHED WELL BEFORE 1997," SHE SAID.

MRS CHAN SAID THE MERCHANT SHIPPING (REGISTRATION) BILL 1990 CONTAINED DETAILED PROVISIONS COVERING THE SETTING UP OF THE NEW REGISTER OF HONG KONG AND ITS ADMINISTRATION; THE REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES PERTAINING TO REGISTRATION, CLOSURE OF REGISTRATION AND PROVISIONAL REGISTRATION; THE TRANSFER AND TRANSMISSION OF PROPERTY IN REGISTERED SHIPS; THE REGISTRATION OF SHIP MORTGAGES: THE REGISTRATION AND TRANSFER OF GOVERNMENT SHIPS; SPECIFICATIONS ON THE FLYING OF THE PROPER COLOURS; AND THE ARRANGEMENTS TO BE APPLIED DURING THE PERIOD OF TRANSITION FROM THE OLD TO THE NEW REGISTER.

THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS OF PLANNING FOR THE NEW REGISTER, THE GOVERNMENT HAD CONSIDERED IT ESSENTIAL THAT ITS PROVISIONS SHOULD REFLECT HONG KONG'S OBLIGATIONS AS AN ASSOCIATE MEMBER OF THE INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANISATION, PARTICULARLY AS THESE RELATED ΤΟ SAFETY AT SEA AND THE WELFARE OF SEAMEN, MRS CHAN SAID.

ACCOUNT

"WE HAVE ALSO CONSIDERED IT MOST IMPORTANT TO TAKE

OF THE NEEDS OF THOSE WHO WILL SEEK TO USE THE REGISTER IN FUTURE, AS WELL AS THE NEEDS OF THE ORGANISATIONS CONCERNED WITH THE WELFARE, CONDITIONS OF SERVICE AND TRAINING OF SHIPS' CREWS, SHE SAID.

MRS CHAN SAID A CONSULTATIVE DOCUMENT WAS PUBLISHED IN 1985 SETTING OUT THE GENERAL PRINCIPLES ON WHICH THE INDEPENDENT HONG KONG SHIPPING REGISTER SHOULD OPERATE, AND THE HONG KONG SHIPPING REGISTER PLAN WAS PREPARED AND PUBLISHED IN OCTOBER 1986 IN THE LIGHT OF THE RESPONSE TO THIS DOCUMENT.

THE PLAN CALLED FOR THE SETTING UP OF A STEERING GROUP TO OUT DETAILED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE HONG KONG SHIPPING REGISTER.

WORK

THE STEERING GROUP, WHICH WAS DULY CONVENED IN FEBRUARY 1987, COMPRISED VIRTUALLY ALL PARTIES WITH AN INTEREST IN THE FUTURE REGISTER, NOTABLY SHIPOWNERS, BANKERS, MARITIME LAW EXPERTS, SEAMEN'S UNIONS AND GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS.

IN EXPRESSING APPRECIATION FOR THE TIME AND EFFORT CONTRIBUTED BY MEMBERS OF THE STEERING GROUP AND ITS VARIOUS SB-COMMITTEES, MRS CHAN SAID THEIR ADVICE HAD PROVED INVALUABLE, AND VIRTUALLY ALL OF ITS RECOMMENDATIONS HAD BEEN ADOPTED IN THE DRAFTING OF THE BILL.

MRS CHAN EMPHASISED THAT THE HONG KONG SHIPPING REGISTER WOULD

IN NO SENSE BE A "FLAG OF CONVENIENCE".

SHE NOTED THAT SHIPOWNERS SEEKING REGISTRATION WOULD NEED то DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY HAD, OR WERE PREPARED TO ESTABLISH, GENUINE LINKS WITH HONG KONG.

INTEREST

"IN PRACTICE THIS MEANS EITHER THAT A MAJORITY OF THE IN THE SHIP MUST BE OWNED BY ONE OR MORE QUALIFIED PERSONS'; OR THAT THE SHIP IS OPERATED UNDER DEMISE CHARTER BY A BODY CORPORATE BEING

'QUALIFIED PERSON'.

A

/"QUALIFIED PERSONS