TNAG-0419-FCO40-465-Registration-of-merchant-shipping-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 85

COCE 1972

LOOSE HINUTE

PS/MINISTER A & S

сс

Reference.....

MC 49/20/019

PA

2

32/

26/1

PS/PUSS (A & S) PS/Secretary (A & S)

Mr Hubback

Dep Sec

Mr Archer MAR (o.r.) Mr Brigstocke

-

SP

Mr Manson MAR (SG) Mr Standen - MAR 1 Mr Stuart - FCO✓

HONG KONG REGISTER OF SHIPPING

As requested by the Minister I have arranged two meetings next week with both sides of the shipping industry as follows:-

(i) At 3.45 pm Monday 16 April in Conference Room 839

with representatives of the

Merchant Navy & Airline Officers' Association (MNACA) Mercantile Marine Service Association (MMŠA) Radio and Electronic Officers' Union (RCU) National Union of Seamen (NUS)

Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers (AU)

(ii) At 9.45 am Wednesday 18 April in Conference Room 839

with representatives of the

British Shipping Federation (BSF) Chamber of Shipping (CO3)

It was difficult to arrange these meetings at short notice as most of these organisations are heavily engaged in discussions on wage rates leading up to further joint negotiations next Wednesday afternoon.

2. Annex A to this minute summarises the main conditions the Department considers must be accepted by the Hong Kong Government and by Hong Kong shipowners in order to secure HMG's agreement to the establishment of a separate Hong Kong register. These conditions roflcct the substance of the consultative document used as a besis for the recent discussions in Hong Kong and modified to take account of views subsequently expressed by the Minister. Copies of the consultative document (at Annex B) were circulated to the above- mentioned organisations on a confidential basis towards the end of last month.

3. Annex C indicates the Government's approach to this problem, and includes explanatory notes and brief comments on certain diffi- culties that are foreseen if it is decided to set up a separate register under the conditions set out in Annex A.

4. Until we roccive the Hong Kong Governor's formal response to the consultative document in which he undertook to summarise the advan- tages of a separate registor, it is difficult to see. what material advantage would accrue apart from the income from registration fees.