Hong Kong Transport and Logistics Bureau: Fully build a three-dimensional intermodal transport system "Iron Sea Land River" to support goods from inland provinces and cities to be transported to overseas markets.

On March 19, the Deputy Director of the Hong Kong Transport and Logistics Bureau, Liao Zhenxin, stated during a Legislative Council meeting that in order to strengthen and enhance Hong Kong's position as an international shipping center, a multi-pronged strategy will be adopted. This strategy aims to further enhance the resilience and competitiveness of Hong Kong's shipping industry, while actively participating in the country's expansion of high-level opening up to the outside world. To achieve this, Hong Kong will continue to vigorously construct a "rail-sea-land-air" integrated transportation system, supporting the transportation of goods from inland provinces and cities to overseas markets through various multimodal transport services. Hong Kong will revise legislation within the year, expanding the current aviation cargo transshipment exemption permit arrangement to other sea-route or sea-air transshipment models. In addition, the Hong Kong Transport and Logistics Bureau will submit a draft amendment to optimize the existing tax incentive arrangements for the maritime services industry and introduce a half-tax concession for bulk commodity traders. The Bureau will also submit a draft amendment within the year to reform the Hong Kong ship registration system to enhance the flexibility of registration arrangements and attract more ships to register in Hong Kong. To strengthen Hong Kong's leading position in high value-added maritime services, Hong Kong will increase efforts to promote tax incentives and expand maritime insurance business and talent pool through a new funding program. Liao Zhenxin stated that the Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan clearly sets out to strengthen and enhance Hong Kong's position as an international shipping center, laying a strong foundation for the development of Hong Kong's ports and shipping services. In recent years, the Hong Kong government has been vigorously implementing various development strategies and measures to promote the development of Hong Kong's shipping industry. In the past year, Hong Kong has made significant progress in various areas, including setting up the high-level Hong Kong Maritime Port Development Authority to assist the government in formulating long-term development strategies; successfully implementing liquefied natural gas and methanol bunkering to promote the construction of green ports; signing cooperation memoranda with the first batch of partner ports, including mainland Guangxi, Dalian, and San Antonio Port in Chile, to deepen exchanges and cooperation between Hong Kong and the world's shipping network, and completing the construction of a digital port community system. The system was officially launched in January 2026 for industry use, providing real-time cargo tracking functions around the clock in a one-stop manner and connecting sea, land, and air transport networks to facilitate the flow of funds and trade. In terms of international aviation hub, Hong Kong will promote a series of policy measures in various aspects to actively cooperate with the country's 15th Five-Year Plan recommendations, consolidate the position of the international aviation hub, and enhance the competitiveness of the national aviation industry. The Hong Kong Transport and Logistics Bureau will actively expand Hong Kong's aviation network, strategically attract local and non-local airlines to develop new routes and flights, and facilitate the negotiation of new civil aviation agreements and the expansion of route rights, focusing on regions with further development potential and growth points. Furthermore, the Hong Kong Airport Authority (HKAA) will strengthen the connection between Hong Kong International Airport and the mainland, integrate into and serve the national civil aviation development strategy, and improve the multimodal transport network of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. In terms of passenger transportation, the HKAA will increase the number of terminal buildings in mainland cities and enhance the "Pearl River Delta Fly" service. In terms of cargo transportation, the HKAA will continue to promote the innovative development of "air-sea cargo intermodal transport" with Dongguan and complete the construction of the Hong Kong International Airport Dongguan Air Cargo Center in stages. Additionally, the HKAA will actively promote the development of various projects to build an airport city and create a world-leading new landmark.