Sunday, February 20, 2000

A delegation of the Hong Kong Port and Maritime Board (PMB) will be leaving Hong Kong tonight (Sunday) for a one-week visit to the U.S. to promote to major U.S. consignees and logistics operators the attractions of routing their cargo and shipping through Hong Kong.

The PMB Chairman, Mr Peter Thompson, said, "The objective of the trip is to meet major U.S. consignees and transport facilitators of products manufactured in southern China. They are key decision makers for cargo routing and choice of ports for exports to the U.S."

"We are going to update these users of our port on the measures we have taken to improve our port infrastructure so as to better serve their needs. We also want to put across the message that shipping through Hong Kong gives excellent value for money and is not only efficient and reliable but also hassle free," said Mr Alex Fong, Deputy Secretary of Economic Services.

The messages will be delivered mainly through seminars organised in Long Beach, Chicago and New York and luncheons.

The promotion will be undertaken jointly by the Government and private sector. Members of the delegation include the PMB Chairman, Mr Peter Thompson; the Deputy Secretary of Economic Services, Mr Alex Fong; Chairman of the Hong Kong Container Terminal Operators Association, Mr Eric Ip; Chairman of the Hong Kong Liner Shipping Association, Mr Ulrik Brandt; and Chairman of the Hong Kong Shippers' Council, Mr Willy Lin.