The PMB is conducting a study to look at the ways to consolidate Hong Kong's position as the premium transportation and logistics hub in Asia.

Hong Kong, being the world's busiest container port and an international air freight centre, has developed into an air and sea gateway leading to and from the Pearl River Delta manufacturing region and the Mainland China. In order to maintain Hong Kong's competitive position, the PMB has commissioned a study to identify measures to strengthen Hong Kong's role as the preferred international and regional transportation and logistics hub in Asia.

The study focuses on the three pillars for logistics development, which have been reviewed by the working groups of the Committee on Logistics Service Development, namely physical infrastructure, human resources and cyber and regulatory infrastructure. It is scheduled for completion in the second half of the year 2001.

The legislation that aims to streamline the ship registration procedures to avoid undue delays in the commercial activities of a ship to be registered in Hong Kong came into effect on 1 May 2001.

The amended Merchant Shipping (Registration) Ordinance and the Merchant Shipping (Registration) (Fees and Charges) Regulations further enhance Hong Kong's status as a major maritime centre.

Procedures simplified include accepting copies of title document for provisional ship registration purposes, removing the existing requirement for retention of the original title document by the Registrar, and reducing the provisional ship registration period from three months to one month.

The new measures are part of the continuous efforts of the Government to enhance the attractiveness of the Hong Kong Shipping Register (HKSR). Since April 1999, a number of measures have been introduced to boost the growth of the HKSR, which hit the 10 million gross registered tonnage (GRT) mark in October 2000, 18 months ahead of the target date. As of May 2001, the GRT has crossed the 12 million mark.

A user survey for the Hong Kong Shipping Register (HKSR) is being carried out to identify measures to make the Register more competitive and user-friendly.

This is the third survey carried out by the Marine Department to keep the Port and Maritime Board abreast with the HKSR users' requirements since 1997.

The objective of the survey is to identify and update the needs of shipping companies brought about by the development of the industry, and to assess the ways to improve the HKSR to satisfy the needs. The survey will also evaluate shipowners' general perception of the HKSR in order to revise marketing strategies of the Register from time to time.

The survey is carried out concurrently with company visits to promote the HKSR. In addition to company visits, Liaison Groups for Hong Kong and the Mainland China's shipowners and shipping companies have been established to strengthen closer communications.

During the company visits, the Marine Department staff members will raise the awareness of the shipowners and shipping companies of the attractiveness of the HKSR, including the very competitive fees, the streamlined procedures for ship registration, and the simplified surveying requirements for Hong Kong registering ships. As of March 2001, a total of 24 company visits have been made.

HKCTOA Website Launch
The Hong Kong Container Terminal Operators Association (HKCTOA) has launched a website (http://www.hkctoa.com/) to promote the port of Hong Kong as the regional container hub, and to provide a wide range of superior services to the shipping industry.

The website is targetted at shipping lines, freight forwarders and overseas transport and logistics businesses. It seeks to broaden the contact network of the port of Hong Kong and serves as a basis for increased business and throughput.

The website features four sections on the role of the HKCTOA, the overview of the port of Hong Kong, and the advanced operational facilities and technology introduced by the operators to strengthen Hong Kong's reputation for service excellence.

Vessel Traffic Service be Upgraded
The Director of Marine, Mr Tsui Shung-yiu, revealed that a HK$226 million project to replace and upgrade Hong Kong's vessel traffic services system would be installed by the end of 2001. The new system will enhance Hong Kong port's navigation safety and traffic efficiency.

Marine Terminal at HK Airport Opens
The marine cargo terminal at Hong Kong's Chek Lap Kok Airport to handle shipments to and from the Pearl River Delta ports was officially opened on 28 March. The new terminal, to be operated by Chu Kong Air-Sea Union Transportation, is expected to handle 80,000 tonnes of cargo in the first year, gradually rising to 300,000 tonnes. The opening of the terminal further strengthens Hong Kong's role as the preferred logistics centre in Asia.

Modern Terminals Set New Record
The Modern Terminals Limited set a new world record of vessel productivity of averaging 336 moves per hour on a single day in February.