THE Hongkong shipping register has gained more than one million gross registered tonnes (grt) to 7.4 million grt since it was inaugurated two years ago, says a senior Marine official.
Mr Tsui Shung-yiu, assistant director of Marine, said the department, which would continue its efforts to attract more vessels, planned to increase its promotion efforts through colour brochures and video programmes later this year.
''However, there are still some 80,000 grt of ships in the pipeline to come on the Hongkong register, as they have already informed us and there are yet others who have not yet applied but have indicated their ships would be brought to us before the end of the year,'' he said.
But Mr Tsui admitted that the Hongkong shipping register had been unsuccessful in attracting large vessels like very large crude carriers (VLCCs) despite capping its registration fees on April 10 last year.
He agreed that if a shipbuilder wanted to build a VLCC for the Hongkong register, the fees would be between US$20,000 and $25,000 higher than other registers.
''We don't want to make a profit but we want to get enough to cover our costs,'' Mr Tsui said, adding that the Hongkong register should not be compared to an open register which was less stringent on standards of construction and equipment.