Visit to London, the United Kingdom
10‐13 September 2019
The Secretary for Transport and Housing and Chairman of the Hong Kong Maritime and Port Board (HKMPB), Mr Frank Chan Fan, JP, visited London, the United Kingdom (UK) from 10-13 September. Together with members of the HKMPB and representatives of the maritime industry, the delegation attended the biennial London International Shipping Week (LISW) and promoted Hong Kong’s role as an international maritime centre and maritime services hub.
Close ties between the HKMPB and Maritime London has been forged since the conclusion of a Memorandum of Understanding in September 2017. Last November, the two sides co-organised a seminar titled “Hong Kong – London Maritime Day - Natural Partners in Maritime Business” during the Hong Kong Maritime Week 2018 to explore ways to stimulate mutual growth of high value-added maritime services.
Riding on this second visit to London, the delegation held a round-table meeting with the UK Shipping Minister, Ms Nusrat Ghani, and Maritime London to exchange in-depth views on the further collaboration between both places in promoting the maritime industry. Meanwhile, they met with different local maritime organisations and their representatives to brief them on the latest development of Hong Kong’s high value-added maritime services. The UK enterprises participating in the meetings were highly interested in the maritime development of the Asian markets, in particular the opportunities brought by the Belt and Road Initiative and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development.
In addition, Mr Chan called on the UK Secretary of State for Transport, Mr Grant Shapps, and the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization, Mr Kitack Lim. He also delivered a keynote speech at a plenary session of the LISW Conference on 12 September on how the maritime sector might respond to the challenges brought by trade protectionism, geopolitical risks, global economic slowdown as well as other uncertainties; and Hong Kong’s prominent roles and distinctive advantages in the exchanges and collaboration between the East and West.
