Transport 251
A Port Development Advisory Group, formed under the PDC, assists the council in examining port cargo forecasts and assessing port development needs in the light of changing demand, port capacity, productivity, performance and competition, in Hong Kong and the region.
Hong Kong Maritime Industry Council
The Hong Kong Maritime Industry Council (MIC) is a high-level advisory body chaired by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, and is made up of key players in the industry in private sector and of government officials. It advises the Government on the formulation of measures and initiatives to develop further Hong Kong's maritime industry. It also assists the Government in promoting Hong Kong's maritime services and Hong Kong's status as an international maritime centre.
There are two task forces under the MIC: the Human Resources Task Force handles education, training and manpower supply issues, while the Maritime Services Task Force deals with promoting the industry and strengthening its competitiveness.
The MIC launched a Hong Kong Maritime Scholarship scheme during the year to attract local and Mainland graduates with an aptitude for maritime development to participate in a full-time postgraduate degree programme in Hong Kong. The council also conducted shipping missions to different cities on the Mainland, including Dalian, Shanghai and Ningbo, to promote Hong Kong's quality maritime services and to exchange views on the latest developments in the maritime industry.
Maritime Industry
Some 80 international shipping lines have offices in Hong Kong. Their ships. account for about 500 sailings weekly to 500 destinations around the world. In addition, there are about 900 shipping-related companies operating in Hong Kong, providing a great variety of quality maritime services, ranging from marine insurance, legal services, arbitration, ship financing, brokerage, management and registration to ship survey services. Hong Kong is the world's seventh largest maritime centre. Its shipowners own, manage or operate more than 1 200 vessels, which represent over 8 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 here. 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 services, and training services. The shipping and maritime sectors contribute 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. Hong Kong has so far succeeded in making such arrangements with 14 tax administrations, including the Mainland, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway,
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