Director of the Guangzhou Port Authority, Sun Xiuqing (front row, fourth left), signs the MoU on Greater Bay maritime cooperation between the GPA and Transport and Logistics Bureau of Hong Kong at the 2023 Greater Bay Maritime Conference on May 19, 2023. (PHOTO COURTESY OF HKSAR GOVT)

HONG KONG – The Transport and Logistics Bureau of Hong Kong has signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Greater Bay maritime cooperation with the Guangzhou Port Authority (GPA) at the 2023 Greater Bay Maritime Conference.

The MoU was signed on Friday via video conferencing by Acting Secretary for Transport and Logistics Liu Chun-san with GPA Director Sun Xiuqing, according to a government statement.

The pact will strengthen collaboration between the bureau and the GPA through establishing a communication mechanism for maritime development, enhancing exchanges on youth and maritime talent in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and actively promoting the maritime industry in the bay area, said the government.

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Today's MoU with the GPA is a concrete example of tapping the GBA synergy to enhance mutual competitiveness.

Lam Sai-hung, Secretary for Transport and Logistics, HKSAR

Hosted by the People's Government of Guangzhou Municipality and Guangdong province’s Department of Transport, the conference was organized by the GPA, Nansha District Government, Huangpu District Government and Hong Kong Shipowners Association.

In a pre-recorded speech delivered at the conference, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said the Task Force on Maritime and Port Development Strategy is working to put forward an action plan within this year, particularly in strengthening Hong Kong’s competitive edge in high value-added maritime services, to further promote the development of the city as an international maritime center.

"Today's MoU with the GPA is a concrete example of tapping the GBA synergy to enhance mutual competitiveness," Secretary for Transport and Logistics Lam Sai-hung said in a pre-recorded speech at the conference.

The Hong Kong Port has been a transhipment hub in the region, renowned for its high efficiency, strong connectivity and wide coverage, while the Guangzhou Port mainly handles domestic and foreign trade, said Lam.

He added that this will enable a differential development of the ports in the two places on the principle of complementarity, collectively benefiting the manufacturing industry as well as the import and export trade in the bay area and southern China area.

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Acting Secretary for Transport and Logistics Liu Chun-san signs the Memorandum of Understanding on Greater Bay maritime cooperation via video conferencing during the 2023 Greater Bay Maritime Conference on May 19, 2023. (PHOTO COURTESY OF HKSAR GOVT)

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government said it proactively enhances the maritime sector’s competitiveness through various measures.

The measures include the development of smart port, the introduction of a series of tax concessions, the establishment of a task force to put forward an action plan on strategies to further promote Hong Kong’s development as an international maritime center, as well as additional fund support on manpower training for home-grown talent.