TNAG-0887-FCO40-1097-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 55

TELEGRAPHIC ACORESS: BANKLINE LONDONECO

TELF

NUMBER -

LONDON

887392

With HKK 243/1837

TELEPHONE:

01-293 1265.

THE BANK LINE LIMITED

REGISTERED OFFICE- 32 HOPE STREET, GLASGOW

REGISTERED NUMBER: 5991 SCOTLAND

BALTIC EXCHANGE BUILDINGS,

21, BURY STREET,

OUR REF

LONDON OFFICE

YOUR REF

From: The Lord Inverforth

MOST URGENT

LONDON, EC3A SAU

30th May, 1979.

Dear Prime Minister.

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

Please forgive me for troubling you personally with this very difficult problem, but I am desperately anxious that my Company does not lose its credibility as an efficient international shipowner.

I have seen a copy of the letter which the President of the General Council of British Shipping wrote to you and your colleagues yesterday, and I fully agree with what he says. How- ever I feel I must stress the considerations which affect two of my ships "Sibonga" and "Roachbank" - caught up in the present troubles.

I am extremely grateful for what has already been decided in the case of the "Sibonga", but at the time of writing I am sorry to say there appears to be added delay in getting the refugees off the ship. We had hoped that the Hong Kong Government would take them into a transit camp today, but my latest information is that we may be required to keep them on board for perhaps another week. This will be a matter of very considerable trouble and expense to my Company. We have already had the refugees

on board the ship since the 22nd May and to date we have lost in excess of £35,000 which continues at a daily rate of approximately £3,000 for the cost of the ship and a further £3,000 for the cost each day of the care of the refugees on board. Some of these costs may be recoverable, but certainly the loss of earnings will never be recovered.

/Over.