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The Hong Kong Shipping Register continued to attract quality ships in 2008 and the total gross tonnage of Hong Kong-registered ships is now approaching 40 million gross tonnes (GT), making the register among the top five in the world.
With the addition of a new aframax tanker Searanger with a carrying capacity of more than 109,000 tonnes, the Hong Kong Shipping Register will have more than 1,360 ships with a total of more than 39.86-million GT.
The Searanger is about 243 metres long, 42 metres wide, and about 22 metres deep, and is owned by the Valles Group of Hong Kong. The ship has been chartered to the French oil major Total Oil for the next five years for worldwide operation and will carry a crew of about 38.
The Director of Marine, Roger Tupper, was invited to attend Searanger's naming and launching ceremony by CSSA Shipping Operations Coordinator, Mme Fanny Bousequet, who named the ship and sent it down the slipway at the Hudong shipyard in Shanghai on November 30.
Noting that more than 90% of the world trade was carried by sea in the forecast, Mr Tupper said the maritime industry of Hong Kong had always been a key factor in the economic development of Hong Kong and that the future growth of Asian economies underlined the importance of growing trading hubs like Hong Kong in the world economy.
He believed that shipping would continue to play a major role in Hong Kong economies and Hong Kong would continue to serve as a vibrant international maritime hub.
Ends/Saturday, December 27, 2008
Issued at HKT 14:00
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