In a potential blow to Hong Kong, the world’s fourth largest shipping flag, China has established an international ship registry in Hainan province, aiming to further develop the island into a free trade port. The Hainan International Ship Registration Administration, launched in Yangpu, is responsible for the registration, quality management, inspection, flag state services, and policy research for vessels flagged under the China Yangpu Port registry. The administration is a division of the Hainan Maritime Safety Administration of the Ministry of Transport. Cai Yinghong, the new administration’s inaugural director, said the administration will operate under the principles of “convenient service, standardised management, and internationalised development”, aiming to provide efficient, convenient, and high-quality registration services to both domestic and international vessels. Four years ago, the Chinese government launched the Hainan Free Trade Port overall plan, something that has attracted nearly 700 new shipping entities to the southern Chinese island. Splash reported last week on Schulte Group’s decision to establish a crewing joint venture on the island. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1_95_0_1_2'); });