The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), the Hong Kong Transport and Logistics Bureau, and the Hong Kong Shipowners Association co-hosted the Global Maritime Trade Summit in Hong Kong amid rising geopolitical tension and shifting trade patterns. Senior policymakers and industry CEOs called for cooperation, innovation, and investment to strengthen global supply chains.
A closed-door ministerial and industry dialogue on 16 November opened the two-day program. The session was led by The Honourable Michael Wong Wai-lun, Deputy Financial Secretary of Hong Kong SAR, and focused on practical ways for governments and industry to work together.
This year’s summit explored geopolitics, trade realignment, supply chain resilience, and financing for the maritime sector. The event carried the theme Building Resilience, Driving Growth and Investment.
Opening the summit, Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan said the maritime industry faces a pivotal moment shaped by geopolitical uncertainty, climate pressures, and rapid technological change. “Ports and economies that lead through agility, innovation, and cooperation will shape tomorrow’s trade,” he said.
ICS Chairman Emanuele Grimaldi warned that tariffs and trade measures are increasingly used as strategic tools. He said the shipping industry must adapt and lead. “Our role is to connect, to innovate, and to drive growth in a way that benefits nations and people alike,” he noted.
Angad Banga, Chairman of the Hong Kong Shipowners Association and COO of Caravel Group, stressed the need for unity. He pointed to past challenges — from piracy to pandemic restrictions — as proof of the sector’s resilience. “Today’s tensions demand the same degree of partnership,” he said. “We can retreat into economic nationalism, or we can choose cooperation and collective resilience.”
The summit drew senior Hong Kong government officials, regional business leaders, international policymakers, and CEOs from major maritime companies.
Transport and Logistics Secretary Mable Chan delivered the closing remarks. She said cooperation is essential in a volatile global environment. “Isolation or unilateralism is not the solution,” she said. “Government must enable the private sector to innovate, invest, and thrive.”
The event marked a key opening feature of Hong Kong Maritime Week.
On 16 November, ICS also hosted a high-level, closed-door ministerial meeting at The Conrad Hotel. The session encouraged new partnerships that strengthen supply chain resilience. Moderators included experts from the London School of Economics, the Financial Times, S&P Global Market Intelligence, and HSBC.
Discussions focused on how shifting geopolitical alliances are reshaping trade flows and what this means for national economies, investment priorities, and government–industry collaboration.
