TNAG-0357-FCO40-393-Registration-of-merchant-shipping-in-Hong-Kong-1972 — Page 106

CONFIDENT TAL

7. Pao insists that it is essentially this requirement

that forces him to register his ships under flags of con-

venience, because British qualified officers are in short

supply. Although he recognises that the Hong Kong Director

of Marine possesses powers of temporary exemption from this

rule in cases where British officers are not available, he

claims that this is not enough because it only provides tem-

porary exemption, while alien officers engaged under such

exemptions could be replaced at any Commonwealth port by

British officers, if available. The last point is not con-

sidered valid: if the Hong Kong Director of Marine gave an

exemption in respect of a vessel registered in Hong Kong it

would be honoured in other Commonwealth ports. But, of course,

there would have to be good reasons for an exemption and it

would probably be the subject of prior consultation with the

UK.

8. Attempts are being made by IMCO and the ILO to develop

internationally acceptable standards for officers but a solu-

tion is not yet in sight. Moreover, the position may have

to be reviewed in the light of developments in the EEC, the

member countries of which have similar requirements. Although

therefore changes are likely in the long term, no changes for

ships of British registry are likely in the immediate future.

It would, technically, be possible for Hong Kong to adopt a

different nationality requirement in connection with the man-

ning of their ships from that applied to UK-registered ships.

This would, however, require confirmation by Order in Council,

/and at a

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CONFIDENTIAL