SHIPOWNERS WARN OF EQUAL PAY RISKS

UK Chamber of Shipping has said that over 40% of British-flagged shipping capacity could could move elsewhere unless the government's proposed equality bill is amended. Shipowners' trade body is worried that equal pay provisions in the bill will affect British-flagged ships worldwide, meaning all crew members will have to be paid the same rates, increasing crew costs. The Chamber of Shipping is also concerned that shipowners will no longer register in the UK, to take advantage of the "tonnage tax" system instead of normal corporation taxes. The ship industry's turnover was 13.2 billion pounds in 2008.