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Following is a speech by the Secretary for Economic Services, Mr Stephen Ip, at the second Conference for New Ship and Marine Technology into the 21st Century today (Thursday):

Doctor Chao, Professor Sheng, Professor Kinya Tamura, Professor Lin, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen,

I am honoured to be invited to open the "Second Conference for New Ship and Marine Technology into the Twenty First Century" and be amongst such a gathering of experts in the maritime field.

I understand that this is the first time for Hong Kong to host this conference and I would like to welcome you all to Hong Kong and hope that you can find time in your busy schedule to visit our very dynamic city. I would also like to congratulate the organisers on choosing the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology as the venue for the conference. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, as a centre for technical studies in Asia, has gained a good reputation for its high quality engineering courses and research work.

As you all know, Hong Kong has long been associating with shipping activities and although in recent years, we are often more known internationally as a financial and service centre, maritime activities remain a very important sector of our economy. Port and shipping, together with related activities, account for 20 per cent of our GDP. We remain an important shipping centre not only in the region but also in the world. Hong Kong shipowners control some six per cent of world tonnage amounting to 31 million gross tons. Hong Kong has its own autonomous shipping register with some 500 ships of over six million gross tons. More than 1,000 companies in Hong Kong provide shipping services in such areas as ship management, brokerage, financing and insurance, arbitration and the like. We are also a centre of technical expertise. Our high quality marine training establishments provide the source of naval architects, marine engineers and surveyors that keep Hong Kong at the forefront of shipping developments. To meet the rapid growth of passenger traffic between Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta, we have built up the largest fleet of high speed ferries in the world as well as considerable experience and expertise in the maintenance and operation of these vessels.

In order to promote these wide range of services and activities, on June 1 this year we established the Hong Kong Port and Maritime Board. The objective of the Board is to act as a focal point to co-ordinate Government and private sector efforts in promoting Hong Kong as an international shipping centre. The Board will give priority to building on the excellent supporting services available in Hong Kong, such as telecommunications, financial, insurance and legal services to attract more mainland and overseas shipping companies to come to set up operations in Hong Kong. The Board will work with our many experienced and well known shipowners to encourage development in Hong Kong - the Asian market for other shipping related businesses such as ship financing, marine insurance, arbitration, etc.

I am very glad that the conference brings together not only marine professionals in Hong Kong but also eminent experts from the Shanghai Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, the Kansai Society of Naval Architects and the West Japan Society of Naval Architects. The themes for discussion - new ship and marine technologies and materials and developments in modern ship and marine safety management, reflect the foresight and proactive approach taken by the marine technology industry to support the successful development of the shipping industry into the 21st century. I am sure with such a big group and good mix of international participants and over 50 papers to be presented, there will be stimulating exchanges of views on the rapid technological advances in the maritime field and on promoting international cooperation in this important area.

Finally, I would like to congratulate the Hong Kong Institute of Marine Technology, the Hong Kong Joint Branch of the Royal Institute of Naval Architects, the Institute of Marine Engineers and the Hong Kong Institute of Engineers, for making the excellent arrangements for the conference and I wish you all a successful and fruitful discussion. I now declare the conference opened.

Thank you.

End/Thursday, June 25, 1998

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