TNAG-0960-FCO40-1179-Legislation-for-merchant-shipping-in-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 38

G.S. 84

XCR(80)201

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Merchant Shipping (Amendment) Bill 1980

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To rectify this deficiency, the Merchant Shipping (Amendment) Bill 1980 provides:

(a)

(b)

a new definition of "ship" for the purposes of Part VIII of the principal Ordinance, under which every type of vessel used in navigation is a ship. This will enable a Marine Court of Inquiry to be appointed to investigate any casualty involving a British ship and a junk; and

an extended definition of "certificate of competency" to include those issued to masters and crew of local vessels under the Shipping and Port Control Ordinance. Whilst certificates of competency of masters, mates and engineers of ocean going vessels are issued under the Merchant Shipping Ordinance, certificates of competency for local vessels including junks and lorchas are issued under the Shipping and Port Control Ordinance. The new definition will extend the power to cancel certificates of competency by Marine Courts, as referred to in paragraph 2(b) above, to include those issued under the Shipping and Port Control Ordinance.

Consultation

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The Port Committee and Port Executive Committee have

been consulted and support the proposal.

Public Reaction

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Accidents involving junks or other local vessels have received considerable publicity in recent years and some concern has been expressed by the news media. It is considered therefore that the proposals will generally be welcomed.

Publicity

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The Director of Marine, in consultation with the Director of Information Services, will arrange suitable publicity upon the publication of the bill. For the benefit of the crew members of the junks and local vessles, radio stations will be asked to publicise the new legislation in their broadcasts.

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