Closing remarks by STL at Hong Kong Global Maritime Trade Summit (English just) (with picture)
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Following are the closing remarks by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, at the Hong Kong Global Maritime Trade Summit today (November 17):
Mr Grimaldi (Chairman of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), Mr Emanuele Grimaldi), your excellencies, girls and gentlemen, all the prominent visitors that have actually pertained to this top today,
Excellent afternoon. As we bring this impactful Summit to a close, might I reveal my gladness seeing that our conversations in the previous 2 days have actually strongly shown how our international maritime neighborhood is browsing shared difficulties – from trade adjustment and supply chain strength to funding our market’s future. These discussions have actually been frank and collective, regarding be seen from our closed-door session the other day along with today’s sessions, showing our typical objective and the spirit of collaboration all of us worth. Throughout the top, we have actually heard a variety of buzzwords: fragmentation, deglobalisation, protectionism, unpredictability, cooperation, collaboration and crucial of all – services.
Scene setting
In a period of volatility, seclusion or unilateralism is definitely not the option. It needs to be created through collaboration. The federal government’s function is not to direct, however to allow – to construct the essential and fundamental foundation that enables the economic sector to innovate, invest and prosper. This viewpoint underpins our current facility in Hong Kong of the Hong Kong Maritime and Port Development Board (HKMPDB) under the able management of the Honourable Dr Moses Cheng (Chairman of the HKMPDB, Dr Moses Cheng Mo-chi), making sure federal government and market work as co-pilots in forming our maritime future.
Assisted by this concept and boosted by our country’s strong assistance, Hong Kong embraces a clear double technique: enhancing the durability of our regional maritime environment, while broadening chances in the Chinese Mainland and in the remainder of the world.
We are improving both our port competitiveness and first-rate maritime services. Our port’s performance stays an essential benefit, with vessel-handling speeds almost double the worldwide average – making us the “catch-up port” track record. We are capitalising on this by developing a thorough “rail-sea-land-river” intermodal system to extend our freight hinterland into inland provinces of the Chinese Mainland. We are not just driving digital and green change through introducing a brand-new Port Community System for real-time freight tracking among all stakeholders, we are likewise working, with the port operators, towards decreasing our Kwai Tsing Container Terminals’ carbon emissions by 30 per cent by 2030.
Matching our port possessions, we have an exceptional cluster of over 1 200 shipping and maritime service business, consisting of the world’s leading ship supervisors, significant defense and indemnity clubs and leading financers, as supported by among the world’s biggest fleets by gross tonnage flying the Hong Kong flag. To future-proof this management, we are enhancing our shipping pc registry treatments, boosting tax rewards for the ship lessors and shipping industrial principals in addition to presenting tax concessions for product traders, with legal changes coming right next year. Even more, we will enhance cooperation with global marine insurance coverage organisations to high end the training of marine insurance coverage skills, whilst broadening the scope of the Maritime and Aviation Training Fund to cover more green energy courses, thus enhancing Hong Kong maritime strengths.
We are proactively creating worldwide collaborations to open brand-new development capacity and strengthen our function as a worldwide “super connector”To counter protectionism, we are constructing partner port relationships with tactical ports in the Chinese Mainland and essential Belt and Road areas for boosting shared competitiveness and durability. Do anticipate our statement of the very first batch of our partner ports quickly later on today. At the exact same time, main to this method is the Hong Kong Maritime Week itself, consisting of the ICS World Trade Summit – our foundation platform for deepening global exchanges and partnership. Every November, this event changes our city into an important nexus where worldwide market leaders assemble to form and drive favorable modifications for the future of the maritime trade. I am thrilled to show you that we will be inviting the Silk Road Maritime Association’s top one year from now throughout Hong Kong Maritime Week 2026, so remain tuned. This occasion and the week-long occasion will cultivate a tactical discussion to open brand-new chances in Belt and Road shipping for Hong Kong and the international neighborhood.
Regardless of the post ponement in the IMO (International Maritime Organization)’s schedule, which we discussed a lot throughout these 2 days, we, in Hong Kong stay unfaltering beforehand our rate to reinforce and strengthen Hong Kong’s function as a worldwide green maritime fuel bunkering and trading center. Our prime area at the southern suggestion of China positions us at the crossroads of global fairways, perfect for serving the international shipping neighborhood’s bunkering requirements. We rank seventh worldwide in shipping fuel bunkering, 2nd in China and initially in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Considering that the very first LNG (melted gas) bunkering operation in February this year, over 200 000 metric tonnes of biodiesel and LNG have actually been bunkered in Hong Kong, including an overall of 13 LNG bunkering operations. Having actually developed biodiesel and LNG bunkering, we are pioneering the next-generation fuels – consisting of methanol, ammonia, and hydrogen. We will start expediency research studies for ammonia and hydrogen bunkering and required mass circulation meters for methanol operations by next year. Even more, leveraging our country’s green fuel supply benefits and Hong Kong’s robust monetary facilities, we are establishing an international green maritime fuel trading centre, hosting numerous matchmaking occasions to catalyse supply chains and support our country in enhancing its management in this emerging sector.
The geopolitical landscape today verifies that the old rulebook is being reworded. In this brand-new chapter, Hong Kong’s worth proposal under “one country, two systems” ends up being more pertinent than ever after – using a steady, advanced typical law platform with a relied on legal structure, totally free circulation of capital and details, in addition to expert proficiency that de-risks international trade. Hong Kong is here to serve and facilitate you to not simply browse today’s obstacles, however take tomorrow’s chances.
Ladies and gentlemen, while this Summit will conclude, I rely on that the cooperation and discussion will go on. As Hong Kong Maritime Week continues with other occasions, I anticipate inviting you there.
Thank you to the ICS, our co-organisers, and all of you for your important contributions. Congratulations to the ICS for, as soon as again, hosting and staging such an effective top this year. I want you an efficient rest of your time in Hong Kong and take pleasure in the buzz and the great weather condition beyond the Asia’s World City. Thank you.