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Transport
general MTR lines', franchised bus routes, ferry routes and GMB routes. As at end-December, the scheme was recording about 1,092,600 passenger trips on average daily.
The non-means-tested Public Transport Fare Subsidy Scheme will be launched on 1 January 2019 to relieve the fare burden of commuters who travel daily on local public transport and incur relatively high public transport expenses. It provides a government subsidy amounting to 25 per cent of the actual monthly public transport expenses in excess of $400, subject to a cap of $300 per month. The monthly public transport expenses include those on the MTR, franchised buses, GMBs, ferries and trams; designated routes of RMBS, kaitos, non-franchised buses providing residents' and employees' services approved by the Transport Department and paid via Octopus; and designated transport tickets purchased by any payment means. The government estimates the annual subsidy will amount to around $2.3 billion and will benefit over 2.2 million commuters.
The Port
Hong Kong is an international maritime centre and a regional hub port. During the year, 350,000 ocean-going vessels from all parts of the world and river-trade vessels from the Pearl River visited and left Hong Kong, involving around 260 million tonnes of cargo and 28 million cross- boundary ferry and cruise passenger journeys. Many high-speed ferries and local vessels operate in, or pass through, the harbour. Hong Kong is also one of the world's busiest container ports, handling around 20 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUS) of containers in 2018.
Port Administration
The Marine Department administers the port, with its principal task to ensure the 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 aids to navigation and mooring buoys, and strict enforcement of the rules and standards of major international maritime conventions.
The department liaises closely with shipping and commercial organisations and takes advice on port administration from users and operators of port facilities through a number of advisory and consultative committees.
The department's website provides information on the port, the shipping register and its services and facilities. Its Electronic Business System simplifies and speeds up the processing of port formalities, including the submission and auto-approval of applications, self-printing of permits and certificates, payment via auto-pay and checking of application status.
Port Infrastructure, Facilities and Services
Marine civil works are essential to keep the port running smoothly. The Civil Engineering and Development Department carries out maintenance work on public landing steps, ferry piers
1 General MTR lines refer to domestic services including the Light Rail and MTR buses in the north-western New Territories, and excluding the Airport Express, East Rail Line services between Lo Wu, Lok Ma Chau and Racecourse stations, and the first-class service of the East Rail Line.
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