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The following is a speech delivered by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Ms Eva Cheng, at the opening ceremony of China Maritime 2012 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre today (February 28):
Mr (Neil) Baird (Editor-in-Chief of Baird Publications, the event organiser), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning. It is my pleasure to welcome you all to China Maritime 2012. We are very happy to play host to this biennial event for the fourth time - certainly a recognition of Hong Kong's role as an international maritime centre as well as being the gateway to the fast-growing maritime market in the Mainland of China. I also thank the organisers for their efforts in bringing together over two thousand key players in the maritime and related fields from some thirty-five economies to this year's China Maritime.
Since the event was last held in 2010, we have seen ups and downs in the global economic scene and it remains to be seen how the eurozone crisis will unfold. But in this part of the world, intra-Asia trading, including shipping activities, have become more vibrant, with container throughput handling at Asian ports increasing by 8.2 per cent between the 3rd quarter of 2010 and 2011 as against a decline of 3.6 per cent in North America. The Mainland is now the world's largest exporter and the second largest importer of goods. It is one of the three largest shipbuilding economies. Six of the top ten busiest ports, including our Kwai Tsing Container Terminals, are in China. Chinese shipping lines are playing an increasingly important role in international freight transportation ¡V according to Lloyd's List, China now holds a fifth of global dry bulk capacity and a tenth of containerised vessels.
Alongside with the Mainland, Hong Kong's role as a regional hub port and a high-end maritime service provider complements the growing maritime prominence of our closest neighbour. Hong Kong has a formidable cluster of quality maritime services, including ship broking, ship management, marine insurance, ship finance, and maritime law and arbitration. Coupled with our rule of law, a simple and low tax regime, free flow of capital and information and business-friendly environment have firmly anchored Hong Kong's position as a premier maritime service base.
Hong Kong shipowners now control 9 per cent of the world's merchant fleet. The Hong Kong Shipping Register has grown to become Asia's largest and the world's fourth largest. Its gross tonnage has doubled to about 70 million as at end-January 2012 since China Maritime was first held in Hong Kong in 2006. And the positioning of Hong Kong as an ¡§international shipping centre¡¨, as set out in the Outline of the 12th Five-Year Plan for the National Economic and Social Development, the Mainland's national development blueprint for the years 2011 to 2015, has added further impetus to our maritime development.
Whilst our maritime sector has sound fundamentals, the industry has always been a cyclical one. It faces similar challenges as the rest of the maritime world, including emissions control and the development of talent. Hong Kong will continue to take an active part in collective efforts to tackle these issues. For example, as a measure to encourage the shipping sector to use cleaner fuel while berthing, our Financial Secretary has proposed in the latest Budget that as a three-year scheme, port facilities and light dues will be reduced by 50 per cent for ocean-going vessels voluntarily switching to low sulphur fuel when berthing at Hong Kong Port.
On the human resources front, our programme includes promoting a career with the marine industry among our students and setting up scholarships and incentive schemes to nurture new talent in the fields of maritime law, shipping logistics, ship operation and ship repair. To date, scholarships and incentives valuing over $29 million have been granted to over 600 individuals.
The three-day China Maritime 2012 conference comprises exhibitions featuring different maritime equipment and services, as well as thematic conferences and workshops on topics ranging from ship design and ship management to ship finance. I sincerely hope all the participants of China Maritime will, by the end of the event, be better equipped with the latest product information and market intelligence, and that today's forum will open up new business opportunities for everyone. I also wish you all a most enjoyable stay in Hong Kong.
Thank you.
Ends/Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Issued at HKT 12:45
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