On March 14, the Shenzhen Ports Association and the Hong Kong Container Terminal Operators Association jointly hosted the Shenzhen and Hong Kong Maritime Industry Banquet 2025 in Hong Kong. The gathering convened nearly 200 distinguished representatives from government agencies, port enterprises, and the broader port and shipping industry of both cities. Together, they explored new opportunities for Shenzhen-Hong Kong maritime development, deepened cooperative ties, and charted a shared course for the future.
As one of the most influential exchange platforms in the Shenzhen-Hong Kong maritime sector, this event has been held successfully for over two decades, witnessing the enduring maritime and economic synergy between the two cities. The event brought together prominent figures, including Cai Xin, Deputy Director of the Shenzhen Transport Bureau, Zheng Cai, Director of the Port and Shipping Administration of the Shenzhen Transport Bureau, Amy Chan, Deputy Secretary for Transport and Logistics Bureau of Hong Kong, Wong Sai Fat, Director of the Marine Department of Hong Kong, Patrick Lam, Chairman of the Hong Kong Container Terminal Operators Association, and Lawrence Shum, President of the Shenzhen Ports Association and Managing Director of Hutchison Ports YANTIAN. These key stakeholders engaged in insightful discussions on strengthening collaboration and fostering innovation within the sector.
In his remarks, Cai Xin, Deputy Director of the Shenzhen Transport Bureau underscored that deepening Shenzhen-Hong Kong cooperation is not only pivotal to the growth of both cities but also a crucial step in the Greater Bay Area's integration into the global maritime landscape. He highlighted the complementary shipping services, mutual recognition of qualifications, interconnected infrastructure, seamless information exchange, and shared industry expertise, likening Shenzhen and Hong Kong to a highly synergistic "golden partnership" poised to navigate the future together.
Patrick Lam, Chairman of the Hong Kong Container Terminal Operators Association, noted that while Hong Kong and Shenzhen's ports each possess distinct strengths, they also have immense potential for complementarity. In 2024, the combined container throughput of ports in the two cities almost reached 50 million TEUs, a testament to the strong foundation for collaboration. He emphasised that deepening cooperation is not only essential for the growth of both cities but also a pivotal step in integrating the Greater Bay Area into the global supply chain.
Amy Chan, Deputy Secretary for Transport and Logistics Bureau of Hong Kong, underscored the importance of enhancing Hong Kong's role as a transshipment hub, expanding multimodal transport services, supporting the industry in exploring new market opportunities, and building a high-end port brand. She highlighted the launch of the Chongqing-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Scheduled Service and the Kwai Tsing–YANTIAN Express Service last year as exemplary models of regional cooperation. Expressing optimism, she looked forward to even greater achievements in strengthening connectivity and fostering innovation across the sector.
Lawrence Shum, President of the Shenzhen Ports Association, addressed the shifting dynamics of global trade, marked by geopolitical tensions and the restructuring of industrial supply chains. In response to these challenges, he emphasised that Shenzhen and Hong Kong must embrace a "Greater Bay Area mindset" to overcome obstacles and harness their collective strengths. He highlighted the world-class road networks, airports, and seaports of both cities, along with YANTIAN's extensive rail infrastructure. Looking ahead, he envisioned "three connectivities": achieving "hard connectivity" through integrated infrastructure, "soft connectivity" through aligned regulatory frameworks and operational mechanisms, and, most importantly, "heartfelt connectivity" through strengthened collaboration among industry stakeholders and government officials from both cities.
Shenzhen stands as the only mainland city seamlessly connected to Hong Kong by both land and sea, granting the two cities a strategic edge for deeper collaboration. How can they further harness their complementary advantages? How can they fully tap into the benefits of "One Country, Two Systems"? And how can they generate more win-win outcomes for both Shenzhen and Hong Kong? Answering these questions requires the collective efforts of both governments and industry stakeholders in the port, shipping, and logistics sectors to foster deeper cooperation and bolster Hong Kong's position as a global shipping and trade hub, accelerate Shenzhen's transformation into a logistics centre with global influence, and reinforce the overall international competitiveness of both cities. Together, they have the opportunity to expand and optimise the regional maritime and trade ecosystem, ensuring that the "Pearl of the Orient" and the "Wings of Shenzhen" continue to shine on the world's shipping map, and making even greater contributions to the high-quality development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area and China's international trade.
As a trailblazer in Shenzhen-Hong Kong cooperation for over 31 years, YANTIAN was born from this partnership and has flourished through joint efforts. With the continued development of the Greater Bay Area, YANTIAN remains steadfast in its commitment to deepening Shenzhen-Hong Kong shipping and logistics integration. The company will further enhance its synergy with Hong Kong, expand feeder throughput between YANTIAN and Hong Kong, and establish additional inland rail freight services like Chongqing-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Scheduled Service to drive greater connectivity and mutual prosperity across the region.
YANTIAN remains committed to fully supporting Shenzhen in its drive to become a globally influential logistics hub, while also reinforcing Hong Kong's status as a premier international shipping and trade centre. Through close collaboration, they will generate mutually beneficial outcomes for both cities, elevate the Greater Bay Area's global competitiveness, and contribute to China's dual carbon goals and the high-quality development of international trade.