TNAG-1314-FCO40-1696-Working-papers-for-use-at-talks-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 12

Confidential.

Excer

Registration of ships: New regime

Proposals to be published in consultative document by end

February, subject to Ministerial approval. For your information

only they include:

1

Territorial scope of British register limited to

UK and Dependent Territories.

2

As now, ships to be wholly owned by qualifying

persons, more narrowly defined as British Citizens,

British Dependent Territory citizens, companies

established and having principal place of business

in UK or DT. Commonwealth citizens and companies

excluded.

3

Ships in private ownership to register in territory

of owner's citizenship. Discretion for registrars

in difficult cases (e.g. resident in other territory,

British Overseas Citizens or Subjects without

citizenship unable to register elsewhere). Each

territory to decide extent of its own discretion

in accordance with local circumstances.

4

Companies to register their ships in territory in

which they are incorporated and have their principal

place of business. Exceptions only where DT register

restricted to smaller ships because its marine adminis-

tration inadequate (will not apply to HK). In those

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