Hong Kong at Maritime Crossroads: New Studies Reveal Unprecedented Opportunity for Kickstarting the Blue Economy
HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire – 27 May 2025 - In a rare convergence of economic and environmental expertise, three landmark studies released today by ADM Capital Foundation, HKUST and WWF-Hong Kong, presenting a transformative vision—Hong Kong can reinvent itself as Asia's premier blue economy hub.
Hong Kong at Maritime Crossroads: New Studies Reveal Unprecedented Opportunity for Kickstarting the Blue Economy
The reports— Port 1.0 to Port 2.0 (HKUST), Blue Finance for a Blue Economy (ADMCF), and Valuing the Invaluable Blue (WWF-Hong Kong)—all agree that the city has a unique opportunity in this moment, wherein:
Global shipping reforms – IMOs net zero emission and carbon pricing mandate will force fleet upgrades, fuel transitions and new financial risks. In parallel, the UN has announced an ambitious biodiversity framework to be achieved by 2030. Hong Kong, itself, is striving to re-assert itself as a maritime powerhouse. This alignment, the authors propose, creates an unprecedented opportunity to transform the city into Asia's sustainable blue economy leader. At the heart of this transformation lies 'Port 2.0' – a visionary reimagining of Hong Kong's waters as a multifunctional interface that connects sea, land, city, technology and people, and serve as platforms for innovation, environmental stewardship and civic life.
'What makes this moment truly extraordinary is how these elements intersect with Hong Kong's unique advantages. Our world-class financial ecosystem can mobilise the billions needed for maritime decarbonisation. Our strategic location positions us as the natural hub for green shipping business in Asia. And our existing port infrastructure provides the ideal testing ground for innovative solutions.' said Christine Loh, Chief Development Strategist, Institute for the Environment at HKUST and author of the paper 'From Port 1.0 to Port 2.0: Hong Kong's Next Leap to Evolving a Blue Economy Vision'.
Hong Kong's status as the world's third-largest capital hub gives it unmatched potential to pioneer blue finance. As ADMCF's Blue Finance report highlights, instruments such as blue bonds can mobilise capital to facilitate port decarbonisation, sustainable aquaculture and marine eco-tourism—transforming the city into Asia's premier blue economy hub, aligning marine protection with economic prosperity. In 2023 there was a surge in blue bonds followed by continued growth in 2024, and Asia was the largest issuing region—led by China.
'If Hong Kong were to issue blue bonds, this would not only signal the city's commitment to improving its status as a leading international maritime hub but also accelerate the growth of blue finance, ensuring a future where economic prosperity and marine resilience go hand in hand,' said Kate Martin, the report's lead author and sustainable finance consultant with ADMCF.
This untapped potential aligns with the groundbreaking research in Valuing the Invaluable Blue. The WWF-commissioned study by the Chinese Academy of Sciences has, for the first time, quantified the staggering monetary value of the Greater Bay Area's coastal ecosystems—revealing a Gross Ecosystem Product (GEP) worth RMB 4.9 trillion, equivalent to over 35% of the GBA's GDP, with 73% contributed by marine ecosystems.
'This valuation demonstrates our marine ecosystems' critical, yet often overlooked, economic contributions,' said Lydia Pang, Head of Oceans Conservation at WWF-Hong Kong. 'From climate regulation to disaster mitigation, these natural systems provide services worth over one-third of our regional GDP - services that should be factored into development decisions and anchor blue economy planning,' she said. 'What's more, our study shows that Hong Kong is uniquely positioned to adopt this ecosystem accounting framework. With strong data foundations, policy alignment, and technical readiness, we can localise and institutionalise marine GEP accounting to guide planning, investment, and conservation.'
The authors' combined focus on a blue economy vision integrates port development with marine conservation, biodiversity, climate resilience, recreation and the responsible use of ocean resources. It builds on China's decades of marine policy leadership, where comprehensive frameworks - from ocean GEP systems to blue finance instruments - have laid the foundation for sustainable maritime development.
'The window to developing a sustainable blue economy and to establish ourselves as the global leader in sustainable maritime commerce is open now, but won't remain so indefinitely.' Said Sophie le Clue, CEO at ADMCF. 'The question isn't whether we can seize this opportunity, but whether we will.'
Hashtag: #ADMCapitalFoundation
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Associated Press
8 hours ago
- Associated Press
Tianci International, Inc. Reports Third Quarter 2025 Financial Results
HONG KONG, HK / ACCESS Newswire / June 7, 2025 / Tianci International, Inc. (the 'Company' or 'Tianci'), a global logistics service provider specializing in ocean freight forwarding, announced its financial results for the three and nine months ended April 30, 2025. Third Quarter 2025 Highlights: About Tianci International, Inc. Tianci International Inc., through its subsidiary Roshing, provides global logistics services specializing in ocean freight forwarding, including container and bulk goods shipping. Operating under an asset-light model, Roshing's logistics solutions are tailored to meet the diverse needs of its customers across the Asia-Pacific, including Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam. Beyond logistics, the company generates revenue from the sale of electronic parts and business consulting services. The company's mission is to provide customers with efficient, reliable, and safe shipping services that create value. For more information, please visit the Company's website: Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements that involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on the Company's current expectations and projections about future events that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as 'approximates,' 'believes,' 'hopes,' 'expects,' 'anticipates,' 'estimates,' 'projects,' 'intends,' 'plans,' 'will,' 'would,' 'should,' 'could,' 'may' or other similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results. The Company encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results that are discussed in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Contact Information Michael Yip [email protected] SOURCE: Tianci International Inc. press release
New York Times
17 hours ago
- New York Times
Hong Kong Looks for Ways to Win Back Big-Spending Tourists
The sisters from southwestern China arrived in Hong Kong on a recent holiday, aiming to see as much as they could — in less than 12 hours. Carrying only a small bag each, Hu Di, 30, a bank worker, and Hu Ke, 20, a university student, sampled beef noodles in the Central business district, took turns posing for sunset photos at a waterfront promenade, then captured the city's illuminated skyline after dark. Buying only medicinal oils and retro comics as souvenirs, they spent less than $150 in the day and went back across the mainland China border to stay the night. The sisters are part of a wildly popular trend among mainland Chinese who call themselves 'special forces tourists': independent travelers who get in and out of the city as quickly and cheaply as possible. Mainland Chinese make up more than three-quarters of all tourists in the financial hub. But while they were once big spenders in Hong Kong — buying luxury watches, handbags and designer clothes — they now spend less time and money. That is a challenge to the city's efforts to revive a travel economy hurt by years of antigovernment protests, pandemic restrictions and concerns in the West over its tightening of freedoms through a national security crackdown. Hong Kong, which once billed itself as Asia's World City, is now seeking to brand itself as the region's events capital, emphasizing concerts and trade shows over shopping, to give travelers reasons to return and to spend more. This year, it unveiled a $4 billion sports park at the site of the city's former airport, Kai Tak. Its centerpiece is a purple-hued stadium with air-conditioning under each of its 50,000 seats. It was almost at full capacity during an annual Rugby Sevens tournament in late March. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
New York Times
a day ago
- New York Times
Buyer With Ties to Chinese Communist Party Got V.I.P. Treatment at Trump Crypto Dinner
The Trump White House has repeatedly sounded an alarm about visitors with ties to China's Communist Party coming to the United States, arguing that they are a potential security threat. But the administration appears to have literally left the door open to a member of a Chinese government group when it went along with a plan to give the biggest purchasers of President Trump's digital currency access to the president and the White House. Mr. Trump launched a so-called memecoin, a type of cryptocurrency, just days before his inauguration. To bolster sales, the president's business partners created a contest in April, offering the coin's top buyers a tour of the White House and a private dinner with Mr. Trump at his Virginia golf club. One of those buyers was He Tianying, who is a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, according to government documents in China examined by The New York Times. That government group, referred to as the C.P.P.C.C., is an advisory body that seeks to broaden the Communist Party's influence and solicit support from influential people in Chinese society. Mr. He, who was registered at the Trump event as a resident of Hong Kong, advises the Chinese government through his role as a delegate of the Fangshan C.P.P.C.C., a district of Beijing. He is listed as a member of the organization's science and technology committee. The Times could find no indication that Mr. He is a member of the Communist Party, and the government body he serves on is fairly low level. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
