Gov’t sets new rules on merchant shipping fees

Shipping companies may get a refund if they have registered more than one eligible ship.

The government will refund registration fees and charges of shipping companies if more than one eligible ship is registered in the Hong Kong Shipping Registry (HKSR) within 24 months.

As part of the Block Registration Incentive Scheme in HKSR, eligible companies may also be given a refund on their annual tonnage charge for the first year. 

One application may cover ships with different owners and may be submitted by an owner, ship manager or ship agent.

As Hong Kong-registered ships ranked fourth largest globally in terms of gross tonnage, the Transport and Logistics Bureau said the Port State Control detention rate of Hong Kong-registered ships is only 0.81%, significantly lower than the world average.

The bureau stressed that even though the current registration fee under the HKSR is highly competitive, some major flag states and administrations have rolled out their block registration incentives.

The government has consulted stakeholders in the shipping industry on the scheme, and the trade has expressed support. There are also proposals to delete antiquated provisions.

The legislative amendments will be tabled at the Legislative Council on 18 December for negative vetting and are expected to be implemented by 14 February.