Hong Kong is seeking to shift its port development from volume to value as part of efforts to strengthen the city’s position as a global maritime center, Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said on Wednesday.
Her remarks came during a three-day joint debate on the Five-Year Plan and Policy Address in the Legislative Council.
Chan said the city’s first Five-Year Plan identifies maintaining Hong Kong’s world-leading position in air cargo as a key objective, with five targets each set for the maritime sector, aviation hub and low-altitude economy.
Addressing concerns that the government had placed insufficient emphasis on port throughput, Chan said the administration would pursue a dual strategy of enhancing port competitiveness while developing a higher-value maritime services ecosystem.
She pointed to measures covering smart and green port development, autonomous vessels, multimodal transport, Greater Bay Area cooperation, green bunkering, maritime finance, ship registration, tax incentives, logistics land and the development of a maritime academy.
Chan also highlighted growth at Hong Kong International Airport, saying passenger traffic rose 3.5 percent year on year to 5.86 million over the period cited.
To tap new markets in South America, Central Asia, Africa, the Middle East and the Caucasus, Chan said the government would continue discussions with civil aviation authorities and take part in international aviation conferences to negotiate new agreements and expand traffic rights.
