Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (November 14) that Silver Mine Bay Beach in Islands District is temporarily closed until further notice for maintenance of the shark prevention net. The red flag has been hoisted at the beach. Beachgoers are advised not to swim at the beach.

     Following is the speech by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Lam Sai-hung, through videoconferencing at the 2024 Greater Bay Maritime Development Conference today (November 14):
 
Vice-Chairman Leung (Vice-Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Mr C Y Leung), Director-General Wang (Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee, Director-General of Qianhai Authority, Mr Wang Shourui), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
      
     It gives me great pleasure to join you this morning at the 2024 Greater Bay Maritime Development Conference. The two-day event gathers here stakeholders and experts from the maritime sector to exchange ideas and knowledge, and to build new networks and relationships, which I believe would provide an excellent platform to ignite inspiration and discussion over various key maritime topics.
           
     This year marks the fifth anniversary of the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The Outline Development Plan explicitly emphasises the importance of enhancing the overall competitiveness of the Pearl River Delta port cluster. The National 14th Five-Year Plan also indicates clear support for Hong Kong's development into an international shipping hub.   
      
     Hong Kong has been fostering the development of our maritime industry. As a "super-connector", we have been consolidating our position as an international maritime centre. At the same time, with the strong support from the Central Government, Hong Kong continues to offer to the GBA our traditional advantages as a free port with high efficiency and international connectivity. Through the close collaboration with the Mainland, we continue to contribute to the strategic development framework of our country. 
      
     For instance, the collaboration efforts, which resulted in the commencement of the Chongqing-Shenzhen Rail-Sea Express Service in August 2024 this year, has reduced the transit time between Chongqing and Yantian Port from five days to just two, and enables cargoes from the Chengdu-Chongqing area to reach Hong Kong within just three days. It is expected that this newly launched freight train model will significantly expand the cargo reach of both Hong Kong and Yantian Port, boosting their cargo volumes. It also facilitates the development of Chongqing as a "sea-rail logistics hub" in the region, allowing the GBA to better serve our country's need. Moreover, terminal operators in Hong Kong are actively engaging in various initiatives on the further development of the port hinterland, for example through developing the intermodal transport connection with ports in other cities in the GBA, with a view to attracting more cargo sources to Hong Kong and enhancing Hong Kong's attractiveness as a cargo consolidation and transshipment hub, as well as bolstering the overall throughput of the port. The Government will continue to strengthen co-operation with the western part of Guangdong and other neighbouring areas, and make good use of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge to expand the catchment area of our cargo services.
      
     Leveraging our unique institutional strengths including our common law system, simple and low tax regime, and free flow of information and capital, Hong Kong has developed a vibrant maritime cluster of over 1 100 port and maritime-related companies, providing a great variety of quality maritime services, ranging from ship owning, ship agency and management, ship broking, marine insurance, maritime legal and arbitration services, to marine surveying and classification societies. Hong Kong always stands ready to provide quality services to shipping companies of the Mainland and serve as the springboard to the international community.
      
     In addition, the Hong Kong Shipping Registry is widely recognised internationally. We are the fourth largest globally in terms of gross tonnage and is renowned for its quality and excellence with a low Port State Control detention rate of 0.81 per cent as compared with the world average of 3.39 per cent in 2023. Shipping companies from the Mainland have been very supportive to our shipping registry. In 2023, Chinese shipping companies have been the shipowners with the highest gross tonnage in our shipping registry as well as recipients of awards for outstanding performance in Port State Control. We are proud to serve our Mainland counterparts and will continue to enrich our support services for them.
      
     In the Policy Address published last month, our Chief Executive announced a series of new initiatives to bolster Hong Kong's strengths as an international maritime centre. These include: reconstituting the existing advisory body into a high-level Hong Kong Maritime and Port Development Board for deepened participation by the trade with enhanced research, promotion and talent nurturing capabilities, promoting development of high-value added maritime services, advancing development of a green maritime centre, and creating a commodity trading ecosystem, among others. Hong Kong will continue to actively engage with other GBA cities to look for opportunities for collaboration and complement one another strengths to enhance the competitiveness of the GBA ports as a whole in order to achieve win-win co-operation for all. 
      
     In just a moment, the Transport and Logistics Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, the Shenzhen Municipal Transport Bureau and the Shenzhen Qianhai Authority will sign a Memorandum of Understanding on maritime co-operation. This is the second government-to-government Memorandum of Understanding signed by Hong Kong at the GBA Conference, further to the one with Guangdong Port Authority signed in 2023. I am glad that Hong Kong and our counterparts in the GBA have a shared vision of creating mutual benefits through better co-ordination and collaboration regarding the development of the maritime industries and manpower training, among others. I believe the constructive efforts from all sides will be conducive to enhancing the influence of the GBA port cluster towards the world.
           
     Ladies and gentlemen, while the global maritime industry experiences its ebb and flow, I am confident that by working together, we can ride the tide ahead. I wish you all a successful and fruitful Conference, and let us keep this positive momentum going. Thank you.

  

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (November 14) that due to big waves, red flags have been hoisted at Deep Water Bay Beach, Repulse Bay Beach, Middle Bay Beach, Stanley Main Beach and Big Wave Bay Beach in Southern District, Hong Kong Island; and Clear Water Bay Second Beach in Sai Kung District. Beachgoers are advised not to swim at these beaches.

Police today (November 14) appealed to the public for information on a man who went missing in Tsuen Wan.

Cheung Ming, aged 89, went missing after he left his caring home on San Tsuen Street yesterday (November 13) morning. Staff of the caring home then made a report to Police.
         
He is 1.67 metres tall, 49 kilograms in weight and of thin build. He has a square face with yellow complexion and short grey and white hair. He was last seen wearing a long-sleeves checkered shirt, grey trousers, black shoes and carrying a black umbrella.

Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing man or may have seen him is urged to contact the Regional Missing Person Unit of New Territories South on 3661 1176 or 5239 7701, or email to rmpu-nts-2@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.

    

     Police will implement special traffic arrangements in the New Territories from November 14 to 17 to facilitate the holding of Oxfam Trailwalker 2024.

Road closure
————

     The following road will be closed, except for the vehicles with permit:

– Sai Kung Man Yee Road from a point about 3.3 kilometres south of its junction with Sai Kung Sai Wan Road to a point about 8.8 kilometres south of the same junction will be closed from 6am to 4pm on November 15;
– Sai Kung Man Yee Road from its junction with Tai Mong Tsai Road to a point about 4.2 kilometres south of the same junction will be intermittently closed from 7.45am to 3.30pm on November 15;
– Westbound Tai Mong Tsai Road between Pak Tam Chung Physically Handicapped and Able-bodied Site and Sai Kung Man Yee Road will be intermittently closed from 7.45am to 2.15pm on November 15;
– Shatin Pass Road between Lion’s Pavilion and Kwun Ping Road will be closed from 9am on November 15 to 4pm of the following day;
– Chuk Yeung Road between Shan Liu and Wong Chuk Yeung will be closed from 1pm on November 15 to 7am of the following day;
– Golden Hill Road will be closed from 1pm on November 15 to 9pm of the following day;
– Tai Mo Shan Road east of its junction with Route Twisk will be closed from 4pm on November 15 to 3pm on November 17; and
– Tsing Ying Road between the exit and entrance (Gate 1) of Harrow International School Hong Kong and the gate of Crossroads Foundation Hong Kong will be closed from 6pm on November 15 to 3pm on November 17.

Suspension of parking spaces
———————–

     All parking spaces (including 23 metered parking spaces and other parking spaces) in the carpark adjacent to Rotary Park on Tai Mo Shan Road will be suspended from noon on November 14 to 3pm on November 17.

     All parking spaces in the public car park adjacent to Sai Sha Road Barbecue Area Site No.4 will be suspended from 10pm on November 14 to 8am on November 16.

     Half of the parking spaces in Pak Tam Chung Coach Carpark will be suspended from 00.01am to 3pm on November 15.

     All parking spaces in the Pak Tam Chung Public Carpark will be suspended from 00.01am to 3pm on November 15.

     Actual implementation of the traffic arrangements will be made depending on traffic and crowd conditions in the area. Motorists are advised to exercise tolerance and patience and take heed of instructions of the Police on site.

     If the cancellation of the event is announced by the organiser, the above-mentioned special traffic arrangements will not be implemented.