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Transport
Hong Kong Maritime Industry Council
The Hong Kong Maritime Industry Council (MIC), chaired by the Secretary for Transport and Housing and comprising industry leaders and senior government officials, advises the Government on measures and initiatives to develop further Hong Kong's maritime industry. It also assists the Government in promoting Hong Kong's maritime services and its status as an international maritime centre. In 2012, the MIC continued to finance various incentive and scholarship schemes to assist manpower development for the industry at both technical and professional levels, including scholarships to students of selected post-graduate programmes in maritime services and maritime law.
Maritime Industry
Over 80 international shipping lines offer ocean liner services in Hong Kong, with around 410 sailings weekly to about 520 destinations worldwide. In addition, there are over 700 shipping- related companies operating in Hong Kong, providing a great variety of quality maritime services, ranging from ship agency and management, ship owning and operation, ship broking, marine insurance to inland water transport. Other related services such as ship registration, ship finance, and maritime law and arbitration are also available. Hong Kong's ship owners control about 10 per cent of the world's merchant fleet in terms of deadweight tonnage.
Some of the world's largest and oldest shipping companies are based in Hong Kong, providing professional services not only to Hong Kong-registered ships but also to ships calling at Hong Kong. Other international maritime service providers have also set up offices in Hong Kong, providing various supplies and support services including ship maintenance and repair, bunkering, ship replenishment, waste disposal, information technology and communication services, auditing and tax advisory, and training services. The maritime sector contributes significantly to Hong Kong's economy and the job market.
Hong Kong is proactive in negotiating double taxation relief arrangements covering shipping income with its trading partners. It has so far made such arrangements with 34 tax administrations: Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, Chile, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Jersey, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, the mainland of China, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Vietnam.
Port Administration
The Marine Department administers the port, with its principal task to ensure safety of navigation and efficiency of shipping activities in Hong Kong waters. This is achieved through comprehensive traffic management, harbour patrols, vessel traffic services, provision of mooring buoys and strict enforcement of rules and standards of the major international maritime conventions.
The department liaises closely with shipping and commercial organisations through a number of advisory and consultative committees. Through these channels, users and operators of port
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