XN000022-1991-03-22 — Page 5

FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 1991

JAPANESE BUILT TANKER TO JOIN HONG KONG REGISTER

*

THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, MRS ANSON CHAN, OFFICIATED AT THE NAMING CEREMONY OF M.T. "SEAFALCON" -- THE LARGEST SHIP SO FAR IN JAPAN THIS (FRIDAY) TO JOIN THE NEW HONG KONG SHIPPING REGISTER MORNING.

——

IMABARI THE 97,000 DEADWEIGHT TONNE "SEAFALCON", BUILT BY THE

US$40 MILLION ( ABOUT SHIPBUILDING

CO.

LTD OF JAPAN AT A COST OF

THE VALLES MILLION), IS THE LATEST ADDITION TO THE FLEET OF HK$312 GROUP OF COMPANIES IN HONG KONG.

CHAIRMAN OF THE VALLES GROUP, MR K.M.

KOO, AND THE DIRECTOR OF HONG KONG FLAGS

MARINE,

MR MICHAEL C.C. SZE, RAISED THE VALLES AND RESPECTIVELY DURING THE CEREMONY.

C.C. KOO, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE VALLES GROUP, MR DAVID

WAS WHO IS ALSO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HONG KONG SHIPOWNERS ASSOCIATION,

IN MIHARA NEAR PRESENT AT THE CEREMONY HELD AT THE KOYO DOCKYARD HIROSHIMA.

RIBBON-CUTTING AND NAMING SPEAKING AT A LUNCHEON AFTER THE

IS ONE CEREMONY, MRS CHAN SAID THE NEW HONG KONG SHIPPING REGISTER

USER- WHICH CUSTOMERS SHOULD FIND VERY MUCH MORE MODERN, FLEXIBLE AND FRIENDLY.

POINTING OUT IT IS NOT SIMPLY A RE-RUN OF THE OLD, SHE SAID, THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS TAKEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO THOROUGHLY REVIEW THE WHOLE OF THE LEGISLATION, PROCEDURES AND SYSTEMS, AND AT THE SAME TIME HAVE BECOME HIGH STANDARDS MAINTAINING

ACCUSTOMED.

THE

TO WHICH

SHIPOWNERS

"JAPANESE SHIPOWNERS, LIKE HONG KONG SHIPOWNERS, WILL FIND THAT CONVENIENCE THAN THE NEW HONG KONG REGISTER OFFERS THEM FAR GREATER BEFORE, SHE EMPHASISED.

"

IN

FORMERLY SHIPOWNING COMPANIES WISHING TO REGISTER THEIR

PRINCIPAL HONG KONG WERE REQUIRED TO ESTABLISH THEIR BUSINESS WITHIN THE UNITED KINGDOM (UK) OR A UK TERRITORY.

PLACE

SHIPS OF

COMPANY.

"THIS WAS CLEARLY A MAJOR DISINCENTIVE TO,

SAY, A JAPANESE

NEED ONLY BE REPRESENTATIVE

"THAT HAS CHANGED. NOW, OVERSEAS. COMPANIES REGISTERED UNDER OUR COMPANIES ORDINANCE AND APPOINT A PERSON IN HONG KONG TO BECOME ELIGIBLE TO REGISTER THEIR SHIPS IN HONG KONG. PROCEDURALLY, THIS IS MUCH SIMPLER,

71

SHE SAID.

SOCIETIES

THE

OF

MRS CHAN POINTED OUT THAT ONLY SEVEN CLASSIFICATION OF WORLD RENOWN HAVE BEEN AUTHORISED TO CARRY OUT SHIP SURVEYS ON GOVERNMENT'S BEHALF, BECAUSE HONG KONG ATMS TO MAINTAIN A REGISTER HIGH QUALITY.

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