Gov’t eyes enhancing HK’s port and maritime sectors

The government’s latest scheme aims to attract more shipowners to register in Hong Kong.

The government is eyeing to enhance the maritime and port industry as the Legislative Council proposed a motion titled “Enhancing Hong Kong’s Status as an International Maritime Services Centre”, according to Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan.

Upon inspection of the Kwai Chung Container Terminal operations, the secretary said she witnessed the largest batch of Chilean cherries of the month, with around 3,700 twenty-foot equivalent units of fresh cherries that could be delivered to the South China region.

“We will make every effort to maintain Hong Kong’s international environment through various tax incentives and support measures,” the secretary said.

The government’s latest Block Registration Incentive Scheme in Hong Kong Shipping Registry aims to attract more shipowners to register in Hong Kong.

Under the scheme, if more than one eligible ship is registered within 24 months, the owners of the ships may be provided with a refund of the ship registration fee and the first-year annual tonnage charge.

In addition, the government has also continued to strengthen connections with the Mainland through an official visit to Nanning in Guangxi, the southwestern gateway of the country.

In recent years, the country has been actively building the “New Western Land-Sea Corridor,” connecting the southwestern region of the country with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations through both water and land routes.

Further, the government also visited the Nanning International Railway Port, Guangxi’s key departure point for important international freight trains, including the China-Vietnam and China-Europe freight trains.