â€‹The Islands District Office (IsDO) announces that an emergency co-ordination centre at the Tai O Rural Committee Office will be activated at 7pm tonight (November 18), in view of the Hong Kong Observatory's forecast of a spring tide today and tomorrow. Together with the combined effect of the northeast monsoon and severe tropical storm Man-yi, the sea level at Tai O may rise to 3.3 metres above Chart Datum or more at around 10pm tonight, and minor flooding may occur in the low-lying areas of Tai O.
           
     The centre is jointly set up by the IsDO, the Fire Services Department (FSD), the Hong Kong Police Force, the Social Welfare Department, other government departments concerned and relevant non-governmental organisations. The centre will co-ordinate any necessary evacuation, rescue and emergency relief efforts for Tai O. In addition, temporary shelters at the Tai O Rural Committee Office and the Hong Kong Young Women's Christian Association Tai O Community Work Office on the ground floor of the Lung Tin Shopping Centre, as well as the Lung Tin Transit Centre, will also be opened for residents in need from 7pm tonight.
           
     The FSD, Police, and Civil Aid Service will help affected residents move to temporary shelters or other safe locations as necessary.
           
     Residents living in the low-lying areas of Tai O are advised to take shelter in a safe place before the flood arrives. The IsDO will continue to monitor the situation closely and co-ordinate with other government departments to render full assistance to residents in need.

     The annual highlight of the Hong Kong maritime and port industry, Hong Kong Maritime Week 2024 (HKMW 2024), held its grand opening ceremony today (November 18). Riding on the theme "Navigating to a Greener Future" and featuring the tagline "Propel Hong Kong", HKMW 2024 is showcasing the strong commitment of Hong Kong's maritime industry in sailing towards sustainable shipping and consolidating Hong Kong's status as an international maritime centre.
      
     Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Acting Chief Executive, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, said, "Sustainability – transforming Hong Kong into a green maritime centre – is at the heart of our policy priorities." He also mentioned that the Government had just promulgated the Action Plan on Green Maritime Fuel Bunkering, which includes the development of essential infrastructure, encourages ports to reduce carbon emissions as well as provides incentives for using green maritime fuels. In order to underpin the aspiration of transforming Hong Kong into a green maritime fuel bunkering centre, the Action Plan also underscores collaboration with ports in the Greater Bay Area, as well as collaboration with other ports in the development of a green shipping corridor.
      
     The Chairman of the Hong Kong Maritime and Port Board (HKMPB) and the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Lam Sai-hung, followed with a speech. He said, "The global maritime sector is undergoing profound transformation in recent years, driven by digitalisation, decarbonisation, geopolitical and trade dynamics. The global maritime community is responding flexibly and effectively to the forces of change." He added that enhancing Hong Kong's role as a maritime "super-connector" has always been the Government's priority, and this is one of the purposes of HKMW. The programme of HKMW this year has seen even stronger connections with the international community, with the International Chamber of Shipping staging a two-day Global Maritime Trade Summit for the first time in Hong Kong. Government officials from around the world are expected to gather in Hong Kong to conduct dialogues on issues affecting the international maritime community.     
      
     The Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Mr Arsenio Antonio Domínguez Velasco, emphasised in his recorded speech that the maritime sector is navigating to a greener future. He highlighted that maritime decarbonisation requires a collective effort, and must be inclusive and support developing countries. The transition to decarbonisation should facilitate technology trials to advance maritime decarbonisation, while the use of digital tools should also be supported to optimise operations, reduce fuel consumption, and monitor emissions in real time.
      
     The opening ceremony was followed by the World Maritime Merchants Forum (WMMF) 2024 Main Forum which is one of the anchor events under HKMW 2024. With the theme "Navigating the Cycles", this forum aims to focus on the new opportunities and challenges faced by the maritime industry amid the changes in the global economy and trade and transportation.
      
     The Asian Logistics, Maritime and Aviation Conference (ALMAC) 2024, another anchor event under HKMW 2024, also commenced on the same day. With a thematic focus on "Shaping the Future of Supply Chains: Resilience and Sustainability", this two-day conference brings together stakeholders along the supply chain, including aviation, maritime and logistics service providers and shippers from around the world, to exchange market intelligence and explore global business opportunities.
      
     Apart from the WMMF and ALMAC, the Hong Kong Global Maritime Trade Summit for industry leaders and policymakers worldwide concluded this morning. Participants engaged in discussions on global trade and shipping issues, and exploring innovative solutions to address the most pressing challenges facing the maritime industry. The IMO will also host a forum on November 22 titled From Waste to Wealth: Unlocking Investment Opportunities in Ship Recycling, focusing on the sustainable recycling of ships and related prospects.
      
     In addition, the world’s first intelligent research and training dual-purpose ship, Xin Hong Zhuan, will also make a debut visit to Hong Kong. Due to an overwhelming response to the Xin Hong Zhuan vessel tour, the registration quota is full. A video clip will later be published on the Facebook pages of the Transport and Logistics Bureau (TLB) and the HKMPB so that members of the public will have a better understanding of the developments of intelligent shipping and the nurturing of maritime talent.
      
     HKMW 2024 runs for seven days. Over 50 industry and public events will be hosted by more than 80 local, Mainland and international marine organisations, attracting the participation of about 14,500 industry professionals from around the world. Entering its eighth edition this year, HKMW is organised by the HKMPB and co-organised by the Hong Kong Shipowners Association and the Hong Kong Maritime Museum, and continues to receive support from partners such as the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and Invest Hong Kong. For more details of HKMW 2024, please visit www.hkmw.hk.
      
     With a view to stepping up publicity on HKMW 2024 and promoting Hong Kong's maritime industry, the TLB and Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) have jointly produced a TV mini-drama series, "Maritime Mission", which will be aired for five consecutive days from today onward on the following TVB channels and time slots (broadcast times are subject to the latest announcements of the TV station):
 

• 81 Jade – 9am, 12.50pm and 2.30pm;
• 82 TVB Plus – 2.15pm, 4.20pm and 7pm (November 18, 19, 21 and 22) and 6.25pm (November 20); and
• 83 TVB News Channel – 12.40pm, 4.45pm and 10pm.

     Programme replays are also available at the Facebook pages of the TLB and the HKMPB. 

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by Octopus Cards Limited relating to phishing messages and fraudulent websites. The relevant stored value facility (SVF) licensee has reported the case to the HKMA. 
      
     The fraudulent websites reported by the SVF licensee known at the time are as follows:

octopushk[.]shop/hk
octopushk[.]vip/hk
octopuss[.]store/hk
 
     The HKMA wishes to remind the public that anyone who has provided his or her personal information or account credentials, or who has conducted any financial transactions, through or in response to the messages or websites concerned, should contact the relevant SVF licensee, and report to the Police or contact the Anti-Deception Coordination Centre of the Police at 18222.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Housing Authority:
 
     The Commercial Properties Committee (CPC) of the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) today (November 18) approved a mild increase in the HA's car park charges with effect from January 1, 2025.

     "Market surveys conducted by the HA indicate that there has been a general increase in monthly charges of comparable car parks, while the HA's current monthly charges for various types of parking spaces are generally lower than the charges for car parks in comparable sectors. To bring the HA's car park charges comparable to the market levels and to maintain the HA's financial stability, the CPC endorsed a mild increase in the monthly car park charges for all types of parking spaces in 2025," a spokesman for the HA said.

     The adjustments in monthly charges for open and covered parking spaces with effect from January 1, 2025, are as follows:

     The HA's monthly charges for PC parking spaces are subject to a three-tier charging system with different discounts based on occupancy rates (i.e. Tier 1 for occupancy rates at 90 per cent or above without a discount, Tier 2 for occupancy rates at 50 per cent to below 90 per cent with a 10 per cent discount, and Tier 3 for occupancy rates below 50 per cent with a 15 per cent discount). The tier to be adopted for the charges of individual car parks in 2025 will be based on their respective occupancy rates of PC parking spaces from August to October 2024. Accordingly, the current discounts for the monthly charges for PC parking spaces at individual car parks may be adjusted with effect from January 1, 2025. Subsequently, if the occupancy rate of PC parking spaces in a car park falls to a lower tier for three consecutive months during 2025, the discount for the lower tier will apply.

     On hourly rates, the CPC endorsed increasing the hourly rates by $1 for PC, LGV and MC parking spaces, and increasing the Day Pass and 24-hour Pass charges for PC parking spaces by $10 and $20 respectively, for all regions in 2025.

     To attract patronage to the HA's retail provisions and encourage local consumption, the HA has been providing free parking for its retail facilities with car parks. The HA understands that local catering businesses and wet market trades are facing great challenges under the current business environment. In order to stimulate consumer spending in these businesses, additional free parking will be offered to shoppers who spend a designated amount at the restaurants and wet markets in the HA's retail facilities in 2025. Further, Domain Club members will be able to use their Domain Club redemption points for free parking and electric vehicle (EV) charging services.
 
     Also, to tie in with the Government's initiative to marketise EV charging services and hence promote its sustainable development in the long run, fee-paying EV charging services at hourly parking spaces in the HA's car parks have been implemented from April 1, 2024, subject to annual review. In view of market evidence, the CPC endorsed the following EV charging fees and other related charges at the HA's hourly parking spaces for 2025.
 

     The HA reviews its car park charges annually, and the approved charges will take effect from January 1 of the following year. In reviewing its car park charges, the HA makes reference to the current market levels, including car park charges of other public bodies and comparable private sector car parks.
 
     As at the end of September 2024, there were about 34 500 parking spaces in 198 car parks of the HA, which mainly serve local residents subject to monthly charges. A total of about 3 800 parking spaces (about 11 per cent) are made available for visitors on hourly charges. 

     The Deputy Secretary for Justice, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan, today (November 18) attended the sixth Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) Legal Departments Joint Conference in Zhongshan to meet with representatives from legal departments of Guangdong and Macao on promoting the flow of legal talent among the three places, taking forward the interface of regulatory frameworks and the establishment of a diversified dispute resolution mechanism in the GBA to provide legal support for the development of a world-class Bay Area.
 
     The conference also made good progress in the area of "soft connectivity" of talent.
 
     Firstly, on the interface of mediation professionals, the three parties agreed to complete the work on the GBA mediators' accreditation as soon as possible and submit the proposed list of GBA mediators to the Joint Conference for confirmation, with a view to jointly announcing a consolidated panel of GBA mediators within this year.
 
     Dr Cheung expressed his gratitude in particular to the Guangdong and Macao authorities for their strong support for the first GBA Mediator Training Course of Hong Kong held earlier by the Department of Justice, as well as their assistance in arranging mediation experts from Guangdong and Macao to share in the Course their practical experiences, enhancing Hong Kong mediators' understanding of the mediation systems in Guangdong and Macao.
 
     On the interface of arbitration professionals, Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao have considered and endorsed the Working Guidelines on the Panel of GBA Arbitrators and reached consensus on the detailed arrangements for the mechanism of setting up a panel of arbitrators. The three places will commence their respective nominations of local arbitrators and selection procedures next year, endeavouring to announce the first batch of GBA arbitrators within next year.
 
     Dr Cheung said, "Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao will announce a consolidated panel of GBA mediators and endorse the Working Guidelines on the Panel of GBA Arbitrators, both of which are important deliverables achieved by the three places in jointly taking forward the interfaces of regulatory frameworks and talent in the GBA, thereby facilitating the 'soft connectivity' of the non-litigation dispute resolution mechanism in the GBA."

     Regarding the practice of GBA lawyers, Dr Cheung reflected at the meeting that the Hong Kong legal sector looks forward to participating in more practical training and explore further expansion of the scope of practice of GBA lawyers. He stressed that the Department of Justice is positively responding to the suggestions of the sector and will strive to establish a dedicated platform for GBA lawyers as soon as possible. The Department will also continue to support the sector in deepening professional co-operation with Guangdong and Macao counterparts and to support the sustainable development of GBA lawyers, contributing to the construction of foreign-related rule of law of the country.

     On nurturing talent, Dr Cheung said that the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy, formally launched in early November, will proactively commence capacity-building programmes and conduct training projects, and also co-ordinate and collaborate with relevant ministries and institutions in the GBA to nurture legal talent.

     Dr Cheung said that the full co-operation among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao under the Joint Conference has yielded fruitful results, bringing forth stronger collaboration and synergistic development among the legal sectors of the three places, and promoting the development of the rule of law in the GBA.

     This Joint Conference was hosted by the Director-General of the Department of Justice of Guangdong Province, Mr Chen Xudong, and attended by the Secretary for Administration and Justice of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government, Mr Cheong Weng Chon, and other representatives.