TNAG-0419-FCO40-465-Registration-of-merchant-shipping-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 169

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17. Goodfello

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Goodfellas!

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TO PRIORITY GOVERNOR HONG KONG TELNO ALLOT 10 OF 16 FEBREAD A 4

THANK YOU FOR THE PAPER ENCLOSED WITH THE DIRECTOR OF MARINE'S

LETTER OF 31 JANUARY 1973 AND YOUR TELEGRAMS OF 33 JANUARY AND 1

FEBRUARY WHICH WE HAVE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED, WE HAVE HAD AN INFORMAL DISCUSSION WITH SENIOR OFFICIALS OF THE CHAMBER OF SHIPPING AND

SHIPPING FEDERATION WHICH DIC NOT BEAR OUT THE VIEW THAT BRITISH SHIP WNERS WOULD BE SYMPATHETIC TO A RELAXATION OF REQUIREMENTS WHICH ONLY ON! KOMS SECIUTERED SHIPS FLYING THE RED ENSIGN WOULD ELJOY, VT HAVE ALSO DECIDED TO HAVE ON 17 FEBRUARY AND QUOTE OFF- THE-RECORD UNQUOTE TALK WITH THE GENERAL SECRETARIES OF THE SEAFARERS UNIONS WHO HAVE HEARD SOMETHING OF CURRENT POVES AND ARE SHEWING SUME RESTIVENESS.

WHILE WE NOTE YOU INTENTION TO MAINTAIN BHIGH STANDARDS AND ACCEPT THAT YOUR CARINE SURVEYORS ARE WELL QUALIFIED WE BELIEVE THAT THE COM -LINED RELAXATION OF REQUIREMENTS AS SET OUT IN THE PAPER WOULD BE REGARDED AS A POVE TOWARDS A NEW FLAG OF CONVENIENCE. AS HONG KONG RECISTERED SHIPS WOULD FLY THE RED ENSION THIS IS THE AIN POLITICAL POINT WHICH CAUSES US CONGERA.

ORE DETAILED QUESTIONS ARE -

(A) THE CHA-BER OF SHIPPING FORESEE A FLIGHT FROM THE UK TO THE HONG KONG REGISTER IF YOUR PROPOSALS WERE ADOPTED. WOULD YOUR PROPOSALS ALLOW UK BASED SHIPOWNERS TO ESTABLISH COMPANIES IN HONG KONG TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE NEW ARKANCEMENTS?

(D) WHICH COUNT-TES' CERTIFICATS WOULD DE LIKELY TO BE ACCEPTED FOR ISSUE OF EQUIVALENT HONG KONG CENTIFICATES AND HOW WOULD THIS AFFECT OUR OWN CONSIDERATION OF RECIPROCAL TREATMENT OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS !. EEC ARD 1 CO?

(C) IS IT ENVICA ED THAT YOU WOULD ACCEPT ASTERS' CERTIFICATES FROM TALAN, KOLEA -ND THE REYD LIC OF CHINA UNDER PARA & (6) (1) OF THE LETTER IF NOT UNDER (11) ? IT GO ARE YOU SATISFIED ABOUT THIS IN RESPECT OF ATTENDANCE AT MARINE COURTS AND SECURITY ?

(D) DOES THE SHORTAGE OF BRITISH AND COMONWEALTH OFFICERS APPLY AT THE MORE SEKIOR LEVELS?

(e) ARE YOU SEEKING TO TODIFY, AND IN PARTICULAR REDUCE, EXISTING CREV ACCOMMODATION STANDARDS?

(F) WITH REGARD TO SAFETY EQUIPMENT AND PATERIALS ARE YOU ENVISAGING THAT WE NEGOTIATE DELEGATION OVER A PERIOD AS ENVISAGED IN THE SECOND PARAGRAPH OF Y LETTER TO YOU DATED 5 JANUARY 19737

(3) WHAT HAVE YOU IN MIND WITH RELARD TO MANNING REQUIREMENTS OF OFFICERS AND BATINGS? WE ARE AT PRESENT CONSIDERING INCREASING OUR REQUIREMENTS AND THE CHA BER HAS SUGGESTED THAT RELAXATIONS IN THIS RESPECT IN HONG KONG AS COMPARED WITH THE UK WOULD BE MOST LIKELY TO RESULT IN A MOVE FROM OUR REGISTER.

(0) WOULD YOR PROVOSALS REQUIRE THE PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS OF CPRFUS OW. IN: SHIPS OF THE HONG KONG REGISTER TO BE IN HONG KONG (FECTION 2 DI MERCHANT SHIPPING ACT 194)7

(1) WE ARE NOT CLEAR WHY A SIG/LE CHANGE OF REGISTRY OF A SHIP SAY FROM LIBERIA TO HONG KONG SHOULD HAVE ANY EFFECT ON NEW EPLOYMENT OR PLACE OF MAPAGMENT, IF IT DE NOT YRUL. THE QIKUTE SPINOFF UNQUOTE BENEFITS DESCRIBED IN YOUR PARAGRAPH 11 (APART FROM SURVEY WORK) ANISE?

MORE GENERALLY WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO TACKLE ALL THIS IN STAGES, BEGINNING WITH THE SUGGESTIONS UN PAGE 1 OF MY LETTER OF 5 JANUARY

73 PLUS THE ACCEPTANCE OF ALFERS TO TAKE A WIDER RANGE OF EXAMINATIONS AS UGGESTED AT TOP OF PAGE 2 AND LEAVING OVER THE NORE DIFFICULT QUESTIONS OF ACCEPTING FOREIGN CERTIFICATES AND FOREIGN MASTERS UNTIL INTERNATIONAL CONSIDERATION OF THIS HAS PROGRESSED FURTHERT WOULD HONG KONG SHIPOWNERS WITH THE COLONY'S INTERESTS IN IND DE PREPARED TO REGISTER SHIPS UNDER SOME INTERIM AGREEMENT OF THIS KIND IN THE EXPECTATION OF FURTHER RELAXATIONS LATER? WE NOTE THAT IN ANY CASE YOU WOULD EXPECT THE BUILD-UP OF YOUR REGISTER TO BE GRADUAL. YOU WILL APRECIATE FROM MY QUESTIONS THAT THERE ARE APPARENTLY STILL SIZEABLE DIFFERENCES OF VIE BETWEEN US. WE REVERTHELESS BELIEVE THAT A RESUPPTION IN LONDON OF THE TALKS BRAV SO TAN TAXEN FLACE IN HONG KONG WOULD BEHELPFUL AND GU LIST THE WEE BEGHIN 5 MARCH,

DOUGLAS-POME

MINU