Hong Kong Chamber of Shipping Celebrates Its Inauguration with High-Profile Launch

7th October 2024, Hong Kong — The #Hong Kong Chamber of Shipping (HKCoS) marked its official establishment today with a grand launch reception at the COSCO Shipping headquarters in Hong Kong. The event was graced by esteemed guests, including Mr. Yin Zhonghua, Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong SAR; Mr. Paul Chan , Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR Government; Mr. Paul Lam Ting-kwok, Secretary of Justice; and Mr. Lam Sai Hung, Secretary for Transport and Logistics. Around a hundred distinguished figures from political and business circles attended the ceremony.

Founding Vision and Objectives

The HKCoS was co-founded by Mr. C.Y. Leung, Vice-Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and Mr. Hing Chao , alongside leading industry representatives from companies such as China Merchants Energy Shipping Co., Ltd., @COSCO SHIPPING (Hong Kong) Co., Ltd. , China Petroleum Hong Kong (Holding) Ltd., Sinopec (Hong Kong) Ltd., CSSC (Hong Kong) Shipping Co., Ltd., China Classification Society Hong Kong Branch, Wah Kwong Maritime Transport Holdings Limited , Island Navigation Corporation International Ltd., and Shandong Port Group Co., Ltd.

The Chamber aims to build a comprehensive value chain and ecosystem to support China's long-term strategic goals and aspirations. It seeks to enhance Hong Kong's role as a premier international financial, maritime, and trade center by providing high-quality services aligned with the development of Hong Kong's value chain.

Speeches Highlight National Alignment and Industry Transformation

In his address, Founder Member and Advisor Mr. C.Y. Leung emphasized the strategic importance of Hong Kong in China's maritime ambitions. "The Chinese National 13th and 14th Five-Year Plans explicitly support elevating Hong Kong’s status as an international maritime center," he said. "This entails aligning with national needs, capitalizing on Hong Kong’s unique advantages, integrating effectively with the mainland's strengths, bridging existing gaps, and refining the national maritime ecosystem while progressing toward high-value activities in the value chain."

Mr. Leung also highlighted the systemic advantages presented by the "One Country, Two Systems" principle. "We must adopt a broad and forward-thinking perspective to fully exploit these advantages. Our focus must be directed toward significant and practical matters, ensuring effective messaging among the shipping, trade, finance, professional, and educational sectors, as well as with parents and youth," he added. "Together, we can support our nation in achieving its aspiration of becoming a robust maritime power and safeguarding our maritime rights."

Founder Member and Chairman Mr. Hing Chao discussed the urgency of establishing the HKCoS amid rapid global changes. "The prevailing economic model and international trade relations are undergoing swift changes due to increasingly complex international relations and the Third Industrial Revolution," he noted. "AI technologies and environmental technologies will profoundly impact the future global economy and manufacturing models."

Mr. Chao emphasized the critical role China can play in the global energy transition. "From the perspective of the shipping industry, there is a strong desire and urgent demand for clean energy globally. In this regard, China’s unparalleled production capacity and advanced environmental technologies will play an irreplaceable role," he said.

Maritime Law Education Takes Center Stage

A highlight of the event was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for a maritime law dual-degree partnership between the University of Hong Kong (HKU), Peking University, and the HKCoS. The MOU aims to strengthen educational exchanges and cooperation between Hong Kong and mainland China.

The signing ceremony featured prominent figures such as Professor Hualing Fu from HKU's Faculty of Law, Professor Guo Yu, Director of the Maritime Law Research Center at Peking University, and Mr. Li Lianjun, Founder Member and Honorary Legal Counsel of the HKCoS. The agreement was witnessed by Mr. C.Y. Leung, Mr. Yin Zhonghua, Secretary of Justice Mr. Paul Lam Ting-kwok, HKU President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Xiang Zhang, Professor Xu Xiaoying from Peking University, and Mr. Hing Chao.

In addition to the partnership with Peking University, the HKCoS is collaborating with other renowned mainland universities, including Shandong University, Xiamen University, Dalian Maritime University, and Shanghai Maritime University, to nurture talent for the country's and global shipping industry's future.

Future Initiatives and Collaborations

With the upcoming Hong Kong Maritime Week (17–23 November 2024) and the Greater Bay Maritime Forum (14–15 November in Shenzhen), the HKCoS plans to announce further collaborations. Key initiatives include:

Building a Sustainable Supply Chain Ecosystem: Engaging core stakeholders to create a diverse exchange platform focusing on clean energy, fostering closer ties with the energy and major commodities sectors.

Advancing Maritime Education and High-Value Services: Promoting public-private-academia partnerships to nurture talent and advance maritime education, leveraging collaborations with leading universities.

Conducting Joint Policy Research: Collaborating with the Hong Kong International Shipping and Maritime Services Centre to facilitate industry research projects and explore the idea of a joint research center with universities and research institutions in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area.

Strengthening Ties with Maritime Provinces: Weaving Hong Kong into the fabric of Chinese shipping by collaborating with maritime provinces along the Chinese coast, aiding Chinese enterprises to internationalize via Hong Kong.

About the Hong Kong Chamber of Shipping

The HKCoS was established to leverage Hong Kong's unique advantages, contribute to China's emergence as a leading maritime nation, and consolidate Hong Kong's position as a global trade, finance, and maritime center. Founded by a cross-sector group of industry leaders, the Chamber focuses on building an integrated maritime ecosystem that supports shipping, ports, energy, fuels, professional services, finance, and trade.

Advancing Maritime Education

Recognizing Hong Kong's potential to become the legal services center of the Asia-Pacific region, the HKCoS is committed to advancing maritime education and developing a high-value service sector. The Chamber is facilitating partnerships between HKU and leading mainland universities to:

Jointly train graduate students for double master's degrees in international maritime law.

Recruit graduate students for master's degrees in international maritime law in cooperation with Xiamen University and Shandong University.

Expand recruitment for international maritime law programs with Dalian Maritime University and Shanghai Maritime University.

These initiatives aim to nurture legal professionals adept in both Common Law and international maritime affairs, fulfilling the nation's needs for specialized talent in this sector.

Looking Ahead

The establishment of the Hong Kong Chamber of Shipping signifies a significant step toward strengthening Hong Kong's maritime industry and aligning it with national strategic goals. Through collaborative efforts in education, policy research, and industry partnerships, the HKCoS is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of maritime trade and services in the region.