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The Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, today (January 5) joined the shipping community in celebrating the breakthrough of 10 million gross registered tonnes (GRT) of the Hong Kong Shipping Register (HKSR) by unveiling a commemorative wheel.
Speaking at Marine Department's (MD) Annual Cocktail Reception attended by some 300 guests, Mr Tung said he was pleased to note that there was a record high of 10.71 million GRT, with a total of 581 ships on the HKSR.
Also speaking at the ceremony, the Director of Marine, Mr Tsui Shung-yiu, said that it was the joint efforts of the Government and the industry that had made the breakthrough of 10 million GRT possible.
Mr Tsui said he and his colleagues treasured very much the suggestions and advice from the shipping sector and deeply appreciated all their contribution and cooperation for the register," he said.
The HKSR was a popular, efficient, high-quality, well-structured and user-friendly register, Mr Tsui said, adding that the services it provided were responsive to the industry's needs.
"Realizing the keenly competitive climate in shipping, my department has always been working closely with the industry and will carry on devising favourable conditions for the shipping community to compete against our competitors overseas," Mr Tsui said.
However, he pointed out that there were still a large number of ships owned or controlled by local shipowners flying non-Hong Kong flags.
"They are of course free to do so as there are no constraints, whether legal, political or otherwise, on the owners in the choice of flag," he said.
"But the result is that Hong Kong shipowners and their ships suffer a lack of identity," he added.
The Director urged local shipowners to seriously consider bringing their ships home as the SAR Government was committed to shipping affairs and cared for the shipping industry.
The Chairman of the Hong Kong Shipowners Association (HKSOA), Mr Andrew Chen, attributed the register's success to the transparency and responsiveness of the Government in working with the industry.
Reviewing the history of the HKSR, Mr Chen said HKSOA members had played a very active role in developing the policies of the new autonomous register when it was established in December 1990.
The register reached a peak of nine million GRT in June 1996, but the uncertainties associated with the change of sovereignty had caused it to tumble to an all time low of 5.5 million GRT in November 1997.
In mid-1998, the Government established the Port and Maritime Board (PMB) and its shipping committee to advise on port and shipping matters.
Mr Chen recalled that one of the tasks of the PMB was to take up the rejuvenation of the register.
"The time was opportune because it was time for the HKSR to develop its own personality by getting rid of some old practices and making it user-friendly, and the drop in GRT had encouraged the Government as well as the industry to be receptive to innovative measures," Mr Chen said.
Before the new measures were introduced, there was intensive consultation amongst HKSOA members, the MD and the PMB.
"The objective was to have a quality register, but at the same time a register that is competitive in costs, less bureaucratic and responsive to the industry's needs," Mr Chen said.
"Throughout this process the shipowners' views were eagerly sought and given full consideration by various Government departments," he noted.
New measures were introduced in April 1999, including the innovative survey arrangements and the Flag State Quality Control system.
"Such measures met our needs, removed many of the uncertainties and hence response from the industry to the re-engineered register has been very positive," Mr Chen said.
The HKSR tonnage has grown by more than four million GRT in less than two years and crossed the 10 million GRT two years earlier than originally forecasted.
Mr Chen stressed that all these had been achieved without compromising the high quality of the register.
"The Hong Kong registered fleet has a port state control detention rate well below the international average, and its standard is comparable to the best registers in the world," he said.
Mr Chen also made it clear that the HKSOA was keen to see the HKSR succeed because a strong and quality register, that would provide local shipowners with a user-friendly and competitive service while cementing their home links, could reinforce Hong Kong as an international maritime centre.
"With its strategic location, a rich maritime heritage, free economy, simple tax system and above all, the rule of law, Hong Kong has indeed all the elements to continue to be a world-class maritime centre," he explained.
Noting that the port and shipping industry did contribute substantially to the economy of Hong Kong, but it remained rather "invisible" to the public at large, Mr Chen said he was pleased to know that the industry and the Government were working together to promote the industry.
On the shortage of locally trained manpower both on ships and in shore-based establishments, which is a common problem faced by developed economies, Mr Chen said the HKSOA was working with the Government to identify solutions.
In today's ceremony, three shipping companies were presented with awards in appreciation of their staunch support to the register. They were COSCO (HK) Shipping Co. Ltd., the company with the most GRT on the HKSR; Unique Shipping (HK) Ltd., the company that flagged in the most GRT during 2000; and KC Maritime Ltd., whose ship "M.V. Darya Tara" crossed the 10 million GRT mark when it registered on October 18 last year.
Other distinguished guests joining the celebrations were the Executive Director-General of Maritime Safety Administration, Ministry of Communications, Captain Liu Gongchen; Secretary for Economic Services, Ms Sandra Lee; and PMB Chairman, Sir Gordon Wu.
End/Friday, January 5, 2001
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