Tag: Hong Kong

Pilot Transfer Arrangements Revision of Poster

2,105 ships on the register The Hong Kong Shipping Register (HKSR) crossed the 76m gt mark with 2,105 ships on the register, officials from the local Marine Department tell SinoShip News. Out of the 2,105 ships, 1,880 ships are sea-going ships comprising about 56% bulk carriers followed by 20% tankers and 19% containerships in terms of gross tonnage.Statistical data published by the United National's Review of Maritime Transport 2011 and the Danish Shipowners' Association indicate that Hong Kong is the world's fourth largest flag, buoyed in particular by mainland Chinese owners in recent years."Mainland shipowners have always been important supporters to the HKSR," said an official from the Marine Department, adding, "They have contributed to about 40% of the gross tonnage on the HKSR."Source: SinoShip

Hong Kong to pay tribute on 25th June To celebrate the Day of the Seafarer, established by the International Maritime Organization and being held on June 25, the Marine Department, the Hong Kong Seamen's Union and the Hong Kong Maritime Forum will jointly organise a series of activities in Hong Kong aiming to pay tribute to seafarers and draw public attention to their contributions.The Day of the Seafarer on June 25 has been included in the annual United Nations Observances list so as to express gratitude to the world's seafarers, who number approximately 1.5 million and who have been making invaluable contributions to international trade and the world economy.In Hong Kong, an exhibition starting on June 16 (Saturday) on seafarers' work and their life at sea will launch the Day of the Seafarer. The roving exhibition will showcase photographs of seafarers' daily work and life aboard vessels, and a group of young local seafarers will be present to give more details to the public. Members of the public may visit the exhibition at the Causeway Bay pedestrian precinct between noon and 5pm on June 16, or at the Mong Kok pedestrian precinct from noon to 5pm on June 17 (Sunday).On ...

Study reveals A Hong Kong conservation group said Tuesday increasing high-speed ferry traffic is contributing to a dramatic decline in Chinese white dolphin numbers in the city's waters.Research by the Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society showed that catamaran and jetfoil ferry traffic is displacing dolphins from their habitats in the mouth of the Pearl River Delta."Dolphins depend on sound to survive in their environment, they are acoustic creatures," society chairman Samuel Hung said."There is a lot of noise generated from high-speed ferries... this noise creates a lot of stress for the dolphins and can change their habits."High-speed ferry traffic between Hong Kong, mainland China and Macau increased 76 percent from 1999 to 2011, according to the Hong Kong Marine Department."In particular, since the opening of six ferry services at the Sky Pier of Hong Kong International Airport in late 2003, the dolphin number has dropped dramatically in North Lantau waters," the society said in a statement.Dolphins will not hear a high-speed ferry until it is as close as 100 metres (330 feet) away, giving them only around 10 seconds to react, Hung said.As a result, dolphins were leaving their habitats and preferred feeding grounds in search of safer waters.Numbers of ...

After EU sanctions take effect from July Hong Kong maritime insurers will not provide full cover to tankers carrying Iranian oil after EU sanctions take effect from July, a senior industry official told Reuters, another blow to Chinese importers struggling to find ways around the measures. As more insurers confirm they will soon halt or sharply reduce coverage to tankers operating in Iran, China's government may need to step in and take the risk to get contracted crude supplies from Tehran, said Arthur Bowring, managing director of the Hong Kong Shipowners Association. China is the top buyer of Iranian crude.Bowring's comments come days after officials at China's P&I club, which covers more than 1,000 ships, told Reuters the insurer would not extend cover to tankers carrying Iranian oil when the new EU sanctions come into force. "For the liability coverage that we now need, the reinsurance is essential and that comes from the international market, which of course is affected by the sanctions," said Bowring.The association represents shipowners who receive insurance coverage for more than 2,000 ships. Reinsurance helps spread the risk when the coverage surpasses what commercial insurers can handle. The EU sanctions on Tehran will close off the ...

Ship went missing in a storm on Tuesday Japan's coastguard has rescued 11 of 17 crew members from a Hong Kong-registered cargo ship that went missing in a storm on Tuesday.The 4,143-tonne ship, called New Lucky VII, went missing about 100km (60 miles) west of the southern Japanese island of Amami Oshima on Tuesday.One Taiwanese, two Chinese and 14 Indonesian sailors were on board, said Japanese media reports.The search for the remaining six crew members is continuing.The vessel, which was carrying timber from Papua New Guinea to China, lost contact with its owners during the storm.'Severe storm'The Japanese coastguard launched a search operation on Thursday, following a request from the Hong Kong authorities.Patrol vessels reported large amounts of oil afloat in the sea where the ship had lost contact with its owner, raising fears it had sunk.The coastguard found nine crew members on a life raft drifting about 60km from the ship's last known position.Another two sailors were found on a life raft nearby.An official said that the rescued crew members - eight Indonesian, two Chinese, and one Taiwanese - appeared unhurt."But we have not had further details including their identification, the fate of the remaining six crew as well ...

Hong Kong Merchant Shipping Information Note The Hong Kong Marine Department issues Merchant Shipping Information Note regardingClosure of Ports of Abkhazia, Georgia The purpose of this Note is to remind Shipowners, Ship Managers, Ship Operators and Ship Masters that foreign vessels are prohibited by the Government of Georgia from entering the ports and adjacent waters of Abkhazia, Georgia.The Government of Georgia informs that a number of ships flying flags of various states were found to have entered the ports of Abkhazia, Georgia, although the IMO had already informed its Member States by Circular letters No. 2290 and No. 3043 that foreign vessels were prohibited by the Government of Georgia from entering the above ports including waters adjacent to the coastline i.e. internal waters, territorial sea, continental shelf and exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The above circular letters can be found on Marine Department Website at (http://www.mardep.gov.hk/en/msnote/msin.html) attached to this MSIN.Unless special permission has been granted by the Government of Georgia, all vessels are prohibited from entering the ports and adjacent waters of Abkhazia, Georgia. Severe sanctions will be imposed against those vessels which are found to have violated the above provision. Permission to enter the above ports and adjacent waters could ...

Fuel with a sulphur content of 0.5 percent or less while berthed in Hong Kong Shipping lines voluntarily using costly low-sulphur fuel to reduce air pollution in Hong Kong will finally get government help to offset their higher fuel bills. But soaring fuel costs and a lack of government action to force all shipping firms to use low-sulphur fuel in Hong Kong may see some operators switch back to oil with a higher sulphur content, the South China Morning Post reported.Chan Ming-yau, general manager of the Marine Department's ship safety branch, said shipping lines that were signatories to the Fair Winds Charter would start to receive a rebate on port charges in June or July. The Marine Department and Environmental Protection Department are finalising details of how the scheme will be implemented, but these issues should be resolved quickly and the first payments made in two or three months, he said.Under the scheme, which will cost the government US$32.5 million over three years, shipping companies using low-sulphur fuel will be entitled to a 50 percent cut in port and light dues charged on ocean-going vessels while berthed in Hong Kong.The scheme was included in the financial secretary's budget proposals approved ...

Hong Kong Merchant Shipping Information Note Hong Kong Marine Department issues Merchant Shipping Information Note regarding United Nations Sanctions (Libya) Regulation 2011 (Amendment)Regulation 2012 as follows:The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) gazetted the United Nations Sanctions (Libya) Regulation 2011 (Amendment) Regulation 2012 (L.N. 42 of 2012) (the 'Amendment Regulation') on 16 March 2012. The 'Amendment Regulation,' which came into effect on 16 March 2012, amends existing sanctions against Libya to implement decisions of the United Nations Security Council on the supply, sale, transfer or carriage of arms or related materiel and their related activities to Libya.Further to the United Nations Sanctions (Libya) Regulation 2011 (L.N.114 of 2011) promulgated by the Merchant Shipping Information Note No. 26/2011, HKSAR gazetted the United Nations Sanctions (Libya) Regulation 2011 (Amendment) Regulation 2012 (L.N. 42 of 2012) on 16 March 2012. The 'Amendment Regulation', made under section 3 of the United Nations Sanctions Ordinance (Cap. 537) amends existing sanctions against Libya to implement decisions of the United Nations Security Council under Resolutions 2009(2011) and 2016(2011) dated 16 September 2011 and 27 October 2011 respectively. The 'Amendment Regulation' provides for:(a) prohibition against the supply, sale, transfer or carriage of arms or related ...

Hong Kong Merchant Shipping Information Note Hong Kong Marine Department issues Merchant Shipping Information Note regarding United Nations Sanctions (Afghanistan ) Regulation 2011 (Amendment) Regulation 2012 as follows:The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) gazetted theUnited Nations Sanctions (Afghanistan) Regulation 2012 (the '2012 Regulation') (L.N. 43 of 2012) and the United Nations Sanctions (Afghanistan) Regulation (Repeal) Regulation (the'Repeal Regulation') (L.N. 44 of 2012) on 16 March 2012. Both the '2012 Regulation' and the 'Repeal Regulation' will come into effect on 23 March 2012 and implement sanctions against Afghanistan imposed by the United Nations Security Council on the supply, sale, transfer or carriage of arms or related materiel to certain persons or entities and their relatedactivities.1. The '2012 Regulation' and the 'Repeal Regulation' are made under section 3 of the United Nations Sanctions Ordinance (Cap. 537). The 'Repeal Regulation' repeals the United Nations Sanctions (Afghanistan) Regulation (Cap.537 sub. leg. K).2. The '2012 Regulation' and the 'Repeal Regulation' implement sanctions against Afghanistan imposed by the United Nations Security Council under Resolution 1988(2011) adopted on 17 June 2011. The sanctions under the '2012 Regulation' include:(a) prohibition against the supply, sale, transfer or carriage of arms or relatedmateriel to certain persons ...