The Hong Kong government has proposed to re-organise its structure, including splitting the current Transport and Housing Bureau (THB) into two bureaux, namely Housing Bureau and Transport and Logistics Bureau, something the local shipping community has been demanding for more than two decades.
Under the proposal, all issues related to transport and logistics would be handled by the newly formed Transport and Logistics Bureau.
“In the past few years, housing issues have become a high priority for the Hong Kong community and it has taken up most of the resources from THB. Splitting THB into Housing Bureau and Transport and Logistics Bureau is very important for both sectors as the Government can properly allocate dedicated resources to address relevant issues in a more effective manner,” stated a release from the the Hong Kong Container Terminal Operators Association (HKCTOA), endorsing the split.
The issue of the bloated remit of the THB has vexed Hong Kong’s shipping community for years.
“The new body must formulate and implement maritime polices in a well co-ordinated way, and connect Hong Kong even closer to the international shipping world and to make Hong Kong an even more visible and active player in the planning of international maritime policies and strategies,” Rosita Lau, a partner at Ince and Co and member of the Hong Kong Maritime and Port Board, told Splash last year.
