SIMIC

HONG Kong's Secretary for Transport & Logistics Lam Sai-hung has sung the praises of Hong Kong's comprehensive maritime strength adding that the territory still remained "among the best in the world".

Writing in his blog, Mr Lam said he recently led a delegation from the Hong Kong Maritime & Port Board to visit Germany and Greece.



He said one of the highlights of the trip was attending the Shipbuilding, Machinery and Marine Technology (SMM) trade fair 2024 in Hamburg, one of the world's leading trade fairs and conferences for the maritime industry.



"We understand that the international community has been observing our city over the past few years. Some commentaries even suggest that Hong Kong's status as an international maritime centre is fading into the background.



"One of the key purposes of our delegation's visit was to clarify and affirm that Hong Kong's comprehensive maritime strength remains among the best in the world."



At the SMM 2024, Mr Lam spoke on two different occasions about the opportunities and challenges facing Hong Kong as an international maritime centre, as well as on the energy transition in the global transport and logistics industry.



On those occasions he highlighted Hong Kong's unique constitutional advantages under the 'one country, two systems' framework, low tax rates and a simple tax system, an independent judiciary, being the only bilingual common law jurisdiction in China, and a strong talent pool, all contribute to Hong Kong's exceptional business environment.



"More importantly, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government not only plays a vital role as a facilitator, but also serve as a super connector and super value-adder between mainland China and international markets in the maritime sector.



"We have a free port with high customs clearance efficiency and strong international connectivity. With our world-class soft and hardware facilities, our comprehensive maritime strength ranks among the best globally. Hong Kong remained firmly in the fourth position in the recently released 2024 Xinhua-Baltic: International Shipping Centre Development Index Report."