THE Hong Kong Government has announced plans to reduce harbour fees and charges of 27 marine-related services provided by the Marine Department costing itself HK$17.8 million (US$2.2 million) a year, according to a communique.
If approved by the Legislative Council after it is introduced for debate May 20, the fees cuts will come into effect on July 10, said the government.
The Hong Kong Government will also introduce another bill to update references in its existing ordinance in compliance to world marine safety regulations. The new Merchant Shipping (Safety) (Amendment) Bill 2009 is designed to ensure the timely implementation of international marine safety conventions under the Merchant Shipping (Safety) Ordinance. This will be introduced to Legislative Council on May 27.
The fee reduction proposals will reduce the ports and arrival clearance fees charged on ocean-going vessels and vessels plying within the river-trade limits by 40 per cent, the cap of the annual tonnage charges for ships registered in the Hong Kong Shipping Register by 23 per cent and the fee for the issue of licences to officers manning Hong Kong ships by 44 per cent.
Two types of registration fees and 20 types of Mercantile Marine Office miscellaneous charges under the ship registration and seafarers ordinances will also be eliminated.
"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," said a spokesman of the Transport and Housing Bureau.
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 shows that there is room for reducing 27 marine-related fees and charges, said press statement.
With regard to the safety bill, if passed, this measure would also remove or replace outdated references and streamline administrative procedures.
"The bill proposes the adoption of a direct reference approach in making subsidiary legislation under the Merchant Shipping (Safety) Ordinance to achieve timely implementation of international marine safety-related conventions applicable to Hong Kong. The amendment is supported by the shipping industry," said a spokesman for the Transport and Housing Bureau.
"Hong Kong has an international obligation to implement the latest amendments to marine safety-related conventions adopted by the International Maritime Organisation [IMO] and applicable to Hong Kong," he said.
Marine safety-related conventions are mainly implemented through the Merchant Shipping (Safety) Ordinance and its subsidiary legislation. Under the existing ordinance, its subsidiary legislation has to be re-written from time to time to spell out the amendments to these international conventions said the government press statement.
If approved by the Legislative Council after it is introduced for debate May 20, the fees cuts will come into effect on July 10, said the government.
The Hong Kong Government will also introduce another bill to update references in its existing ordinance in compliance to world marine safety regulations. The new Merchant Shipping (Safety) (Amendment) Bill 2009 is designed to ensure the timely implementation of international marine safety conventions under the Merchant Shipping (Safety) Ordinance. This will be introduced to Legislative Council on May 27.
The fee reduction proposals will reduce the ports and arrival clearance fees charged on ocean-going vessels and vessels plying within the river-trade limits by 40 per cent, the cap of the annual tonnage charges for ships registered in the Hong Kong Shipping Register by 23 per cent and the fee for the issue of licences to officers manning Hong Kong ships by 44 per cent.
Two types of registration fees and 20 types of Mercantile Marine Office miscellaneous charges under the ship registration and seafarers ordinances will also be eliminated.
"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," said a spokesman of the Transport and Housing Bureau.
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 shows that there is room for reducing 27 marine-related fees and charges, said press statement.
With regard to the safety bill, if passed, this measure would also remove or replace outdated references and streamline administrative procedures.
"The bill proposes the adoption of a direct reference approach in making subsidiary legislation under the Merchant Shipping (Safety) Ordinance to achieve timely implementation of international marine safety-related conventions applicable to Hong Kong. The amendment is supported by the shipping industry," said a spokesman for the Transport and Housing Bureau.
"Hong Kong has an international obligation to implement the latest amendments to marine safety-related conventions adopted by the International Maritime Organisation [IMO] and applicable to Hong Kong," he said.
Marine safety-related conventions are mainly implemented through the Merchant Shipping (Safety) Ordinance and its subsidiary legislation. Under the existing ordinance, its subsidiary legislation has to be re-written from time to time to spell out the amendments to these international conventions said the government press statement.