Hong Kong Chamber of Shipping Championing a Green Maritime Transition

[By: Hong Kong Chamber of Shipping]

The Hong Kong Chamber of Shipping (HKCoS) convened the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) Clean Energy Supply Chain Conference today at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, its academic partner, launching an event that brought together over 200 representatives from across the Hong Kong, mainland China and overseas maritime ecosystems – including sectors such as government, shipowners, ports, energy, technology, classification societies and research institutions.

The conference focused on three critical enablers of a sustainable maritime future: alternative fuels, electrification and green corridors, all considered essential building blocks for strengthening Hong Kong’s role as an international maritime centre and aligning with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) revised decarbonisation targets set at the 83rd session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 83). The Chamber advocates promoting Hong Kong as a green fuels trading, bunkering and certification hub, driving global standards in certification.

The event’s guests of honour included The Hon C.Y. Leung, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Founder Member and Honorary Advisor of the Chamber; The Hon Mable Chan, Secretary for Transport and Logistics of the HKSAR Government; Professor Nancy Ip, President of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; and Mr. Hing Chao, Founder Member and Chairman of the Chamber.

Mr. Leung said, “Since the 12th National Five-Year Plan 14 years ago, the Central Government have expressly supported the ‘elevation’ of Hong Kong’s status as an international shipping centre. ‘Elevation’ has to mean transformation and in the process moving up the value chain. In recent years, Qianhai in Shenzhen and Nansha in Guangzhou have been designated ‘significant platforms’ for Guangdong-Hong Kong collaboration. Both Nansha and Qianhai are major ports and have very significant container throughputs. The national strategic context for Hong Kong’s shipping industry is therefore complete, robust and obvious.

“Today’s topic is a good example. Clean energy is the way to go and supply chain is where Hong Kong as the ‘Super Connector’ between the rest of the world and the rest of China comes in.”

He believed that more research and collaboration between academia and industry will be needed and more regular dialogue between Hong Kong and the Mainland will also be called for in order to get a fruitful result.

Mr. Hing Chao noted, "The GBA Clean Energy Supply Chain Conference series provides a widely represented platform for key stakeholders, combining Hong Kong’s strong fundamentals as an international maritime centre with the GBA’s vast partnership network, green fuel technology and infrastructure. With the International Maritime Organisation’s MEPC 83 outcome establishing the regulatory framework and setup of the Maritime and Port Development Board, the industry looks forward to working more closely with the Government in advancing developments in green corridors, electrification and alternative fuels.”

Setting the Stage for Decarbonisation
The conference opened with a discussion of the landmark IMO MEPC 83 outcomes, which define the global regulatory floor for shipping’s decarbonisation, including the first sector-wide carbon pricing framework. These developments highlight the urgency and opportunity for Hong Kong to position itself as a green port centre that is ready to support zero- and near-zero-emission (ZNZ) shipping. Throughout the day, participants explored the technology, infrastructure and policy conditions needed to scale clean energy solutions, stressing that policy
certainty and regional coordination are key to unlocking investment and progress. The Chamber emphasised that the GBA’s industrial scale, innovation ecosystem and strategic location offer Hong Kong a unique platform to lead in clean fuel supply, bunkering and maritime electrification.

Strengthening Hong Kong’s Maritime Leadership
The event underscored that the industry is ready to leverage the existing technology, rapidly developing infrastructure and burgeoning partnerships. Participants agreed that policy clarity and government collaboration are now needed to enable implementation at scale.

The Chamber said it welcomes the recent formation of the Maritime and Port Development Board and looks forward to working closely with government bodies and GBA stakeholders to build a thriving, sustainable maritime ecosystem.