TNAG-2524-FCO40-3685-Future-of-Hong-Kong-International-Rights-and-Obligations-(IR-1992 — Page 12

CONFIDENTIAL

DRAF T

Merchant Shipping Treaties

the

At present, there are 22 multilateral treaties in the Merchant Shipping category which apply to Hong Kong. A list setting out the details of 21 of them (excluding the treaty establishing

International Maritime Organisation) is at Annex A. The details include the dates on which the UK ratified these treaties and extended them to Hong Kong; the dates on which the PRC became a party to them, where applicable; and a description of the main provisions and objectives of the treaties. Texts of the treaties are at Annex B. Documents showing UK ratification treaties and extension of them to Hong Kong are at

of the

Annex C.

Benefits

2.

Hong

economy.

The

international merchant shipping activities in

Kong are important to the growth and prosperity of the

ΙΠ 1991,

22,631 ocean-going vessels arrived in Hong Kong and 22,717 departed from Hong Kong, amounting to ૐ total net registered tonnage of 234 million. The total amount of cargo discharged from these vessels was over 58 million Lonnes whilst that loaded was over 35 million tonnes.

In 1991 Hong Kong was also one of the only two ports in the world handling more than 6 million TEUS

containers.

3.

In accordance with the Joint Declaration, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall be authorised to continue to maintain its own shipping register and will maintain Hong Kong's previous systems of shipping management and shipping regulation.

The continued application of treaties in the Merchant Shipping field is they establish rules, which are

therefore

essential as

CONFIDENTIAL