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Hong Kong arrival of Cosco Shipping Star heralds port and light dues exemption


What was ostensibly the arrival of yet another mega-containership at the Port of Hong Kong today (19 September), turned out to be the the occasion herald further significant measures to reverse the decline of the port, which has witnessed falling box volumes for close on 24 months.
 
Officiating at the cocktail reception for Cosco Shipping Star today, Agnes Wong, director of Marine, revealed that, Starting next month, the Marine Department will launch a one-year exemption of port and light dues to relieve pressure on vessel operators and encourage more vessels to berth at the Port of Hong Kong.
 
Ms Wong added: “Registered in Hong Kong this year, Cosco Shipping Star is a new addition to Hong Kong’s high-quality fleet of more than 2,600 vessels and nearly 130m GT, of which Cosco Shipping accounts for 15%.
 
“Ship owners can now handle ship registration document matter for their ships in six Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices and Liaision Units, i.e. Beijing, Shanghai, Shenyang, Jinan, Tokyo and Singapore.  The Marine Department will upgrade the global services of the Hong Kong Shipping Registry by setting up Hong Kong Shipping Registry Regional Desks in seven overseas locations phase by phase.  In the first phase, Regional Desks in London, Shanghai and Singapore are expected to come into service by the end of this year or early next year.”
 
“Over the years, Hong Kong’s container terminal operators have established a strong international network, cementing Hong Kong’s position as a maritime centre in the Greater Bay Area, and as the Belt and Road Initiative develops.  At the same time, the Government is committed to improving the competitiveness of Hong Kong Port.
 
One of the world’s largest container vessels, Cosco Shipping Star under Cosco Shipping Lines, called at Kwai Tsing Container Terminal 8 today on her maiden voyage. The mega container ship will depart Hong Kong – the last stop on her voyage – for Shanghai after completing cargo handling.
 
Since it set sail in Shanghai in July, Cosco Shipping Star has joined sister vessel Cosco Shipping Galaxy and nine other mega vessels under Cosco Shipping and Orient Overseas Container Line Ltd to operate on OCEAN Alliance’s Asia-North Europe service.
 
With a carrying capacity of 21,237 TEU, Hong Kong-flagged- Cosco Shipping Star claims its place as the largest mega vessel built in China.  The 198,000 DWT ship is the newest member of Cosco Shipping’s Universe series of 21,000 teu-class container vessels.
 
At a length of 400 metres, it is 67 metres longer than the largest Nimitz-class aircraft carrier in the world today.  The vessel is equipped with new sustainable technologies to provide efficient fuel consumption and improved environmental performance, effectively fulfilling the Energy Efficiency Design Index requirements of the 2030 Agenda set by the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL).
 
COSCO-HIT Terminals and Asia Container Terminals jointly operate four berths at Terminal 8.  Earlier this year, CHT, ACT and two other major terminal operators jointly formed the Hong Kong Seaport Alliance.
 
Lawrence Shum, managing director of CHT said, “In our bid to attract more mega vessels to call at Hong Kong, we have been constantly enhancing the facilities and operational efficiency of our terminals.  At present, the 23-berth facility operating under HKSPA is capable of berthing eight mega vessels simultaneously.  At the start of the year, Cosco Shipping rated the Port of Hong Kong the world’s ‘Best Transhipment Port’ in a ringing endorsement of its highly efficient and flexible services.”
 
Hanliang Zhu, managing director of ACT, said, “HKSPA is formed to enhance cost synergies, resources utilisation and operational efficiency so that we can accommodate more mega vessels to call at Hong Kong.  By adopting a ‘terminal-neutral’ model, HKSPA will overcome the challenges ahead with better planning and coordinated services.”
 
Zhang Fuyuan, managing director of Cosco Shipping Container Line Agencies Limited, said, “Hong Kong has always been a reliable transhipment hub in the region and a key gateway to China. So far this year, Cosco Shipping has already had seven of its vessels berth at the Kwai Tsing Port on their maiden voyages.  With the formation of HKSPA, we are very pleased to have seen further efficiency increases in Hong Kong’s handling of transhipment cargoes.  Our company will therefore direct more international transhipment to be handled in Hong Kong.”
 
Source:hongkongmaritimehub

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