Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, March 12, 2003
Court to Decide Fate of Derelict Panamanian-registered Ship
A derelict Panamanian-registered ship long anchored in Chaozhou harbor in South China's Guangdong province will be judged abandoned if no one claims the vessel before a deadline set by a local marine tribunal.
A derelict Panamanian-registered ship long anchored in Chaozhou harbor in South China's Guangdong province will be judged abandoned if no one claims the vessel before a deadline set by a local marine tribunal.
The ship, the "Richmax", has been anchored in the harbor's navigable waters after entering Chaozhou harbor in August 2001 from Hong Kong, and poses a serious threat to shipping during the typhoon season, according to sources.
The Chaozhou Maritime Administration has failed to find the owner of the "Richmax" despite an ongoing search and investigation, and so far nobody has shown up to claim it.
The Shantou City tribunal under the Guangzhou Maritime Court has accepted an application by the Chaozhou Maritime Administration and will handle the case.
According to Chinese law, the ship will become public property if no one claims it.