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The Government published in the Gazette today (May 15) four sets of amendment regulations to reduce the fees and charges of 27 marine-related services provided by the Marine Department. If approved by the Legislative Council, the new fees will come into effect on July 10, 2009.
A spokesman of the Transport and Housing Bureau said, "The proposed reductions will benefit all vessels entering Hong Kong waters and owners of ships registered in Hong Kong, and the waiving of the charges related to the employment, registration and certification of local seafarers will lower the costs for industry participants."
The four sets of amendment regulations are the Shipping and Port Control (Amendment) Regulation, the Merchant Shipping (Local Vessels) (Fees) (Amendment) Regulation, the Merchant Shipping (Registration) (Fees and Charges) (Amendment) Regulation and the Merchant Shipping (Seafarers) (Fees) (Amendment) Regulation.
The Government reviews the levels of marine-related fees and charges regularly according to the "user pays" principle. A recent costing review showed that there is room for reducing 27 marine-related fees and charges.
The proposals will reduce the ports and arrival clearance fees charged on ocean-going vessels and vessels plying within the river-trade limits by 40%, the cap of the annual tonnage charges for ships registered in the Hong Kong Shipping Register by 23% and the fee for the issue of licences to officers manning Hong Kong ships by 44%. Two types of registration fees and 20 types of Mercantile Marine Office miscellaneous charges under the ship registration and seafarers ordinances will also be waived.
The reductions, if implemented, will reduce Government revenue by about $17.8 million per annum.
The four sets of amendment regulations will be tabled at the Legislative Council on May 20.
Ends/Friday, May 15, 2009
Issued at HKT 16:02
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