The transport secretary is quoted as having shared that mainland China’s partner ports, besides Belt & Road Initiative countries, are expected to be announced at this upcoming event beginning on November 16, 2025. This event also anticipates the announcement of the first batch of ‘Partner Ports’.
Hong Kong is expected to reveal its 1st batch of ‘partner ports’ at the upcoming flagship maritime event. This was disclosed by Mable Chan – the city’s transport & logistics minister – in response to Beijing’s vow to consolidate the city’s status as a shipping hub last month. Chan is also quoted to have disclosed on Saturday, 8th November, that the Hong Kong Maritime Week event is scheduled to take place from 16th to 22nd November 2025, at which the first batch of the city’s partner ports in mainland China and countries under the Belt & Road initiative will be announced.
In a blog post, Chan shared that he was deeply grateful for his team’s relentless efforts, adding that in a short period of time—only just over a month since the policy address was announced in September 2025— his colleagues had been able to deliver outstanding results!
During his policy address, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu was quoted as having mentioned initially that the plan to build such partnerships this year was with the objective of preparing & arranging a ‘green shipping corridor’.
Driven by Chinese-backed infrastructure projects overseas, the Belt & Road Initiative refers to an ongoing strategic effort by Beijing to link various developing countries into a China-centered trade network.
Chan continued by expressing the expectation that Hong Kong authorities would invite the Silk Road Maritime Association (SRMA) to this forum. SRMA is said to comprise 360 members that include shipping companies, port authorities, and logistics firms to hold summits during the maritime week.
Commenting further, Chan is quoted to have also shared that ‘by partnering & ‘setting sail’ with Hong Kong, both ‘superconnector’ & ‘super value-adder’ collectively promote the Belt & Road Initiative shipping brand, and the Silk Road Maritime Association & the Hong Kong shipping sector are to achieve win-win outcomes.
The Communist Party is quoted to have pledged in its proposal last month for the 15th 5-year plan to consolidate & enhance Hong Kong’s status as an international hub for finance, shipping & trading.
Besides the above-mentioned, there were other initiatives in the plan to build Hong Kong into an international innovation & technology hub meant for high-end international talent.
Chan had added that the policies were very much aligned with that of the Transport & Logistics Bureau, which had been aiming for a considerable period of time. Moving further, Chan believed that the Hong Kong Maritime Week was likely to be the best showcase for the city’s status as an international shipping hub.
Chan also added that this year’s event was to include the annual convention of the International Bunker Industry Association, which is the global body that represents the marine fuel industry.
Chan believed that this event reflects that their vision of building Hong Kong into a green marine fuel bunkering hub has been acknowledged by the international community.
