The Adaptation of Laws (No. 31) Bill 1999 was gazetted today (Friday) and will be introduced to the Legislative Council on July 14, 1999.
"The Bill seeks to adapt 14 shipping and maritime-related Ordinances and their subsidiary legislation to bring them into conformity with the Basic Law and with the status of Hong Kong as a Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People's Republic of China," a Government spokesman said.

These 14 Ordinances are the Port Control (Cargo Working Areas) Ordinance (Cap. 81), Stowaways Ordinance (Cap. 83), Pilotage Ordinance (Cap. 84), Merchant Shipping Ordinance (Cap. 281), Shipping and Port Control Ordinance (Cap. 313), Marine Insurance Ordinance (Cap. 329), Merchant Shipping (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Ordinance (Cap. 413), Merchant Shipping (Liability and Compensation for Oil Pollution) Ordinance (Cap. 414), Merchant Shipping (Registration) Ordinance (Cap. 415), Carriage of Goods by Sea Ordinance (Cap. 462), Merchant Shipping (Seafarers) Ordinance (Cap. 478), Nuclear Material (Liability for Carriage) Ordinance (Cap. 479), Merchant Shipping (Liner Conferences) Ordinance (Cap. 482), and Merchant Shipping (Collision Damage Liability and Salvage) Ordinance (Cap. 508).

"Most of the proposed amendments are merely terminological changes, involving the adaptation of terms such as the 'Governor', 'the Colony' and 'the Crown'. When passed into law, the majority of the amendments shall take effect as from the date of the establishment of the HKSAR," he added.

Friday, 9 July 1999