What Changed
- Reported maritime arbitration caseloads (2023–2025) and highlighted the first mediated international case under IOMed in May 2026.
- Introduced the Inland Revenue (Amendment) Bill 2026 in June 2026 and outlined a 2026 ship registration amendment bill to enable dual registration with flag suspension.
- Promoted maritime legal talent initiatives including the Maritime Academy framework and the Maritime Services Traineeship Scheme - Legal.
On 28 October 2026, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government published a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, to Legislative Council member Hon Wu Yingpeng regarding official measures to promote maritime legal and dispute resolution services. The response details developments supporting the National 15th Five-Year Plan and the Hong Kong Five-Year Plan (2026–2030) to consolidate Hong Kong as an international maritime centre.
**Dispute Resolution Statistics and Case Load**
Data provided by dispute resolution bodies outlines recent maritime dispute volumes in Hong Kong:
- **Hong Kong Maritime Arbitration Group (HKMAG):** Handled 107 cases in 2023, 146 in 2024, and 144 in 2025.
- **Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC):** Handled 45 cases in 2023, 43 in 2024, and 77 in 2025.
- **International Organization for Mediation (IOMed):** Headquartered in Hong Kong and inaugurated in October 2025, IOMed successfully accepted and mediated an international maritime dispute between parties from Mainland China and Singapore in May 2026.
**Legislative Initiatives and Tax Concessions**
- **Tax Concessions Bill:** In June 2026, the Government introduced the Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Tax Concessions for Shipping-related Activities and Physical Commodity Trading) Bill 2026 to the Legislative Council. The Bill proposes a half-rate tax concession for qualifying physical commodity traders, requiring relevant service expenses to meet minimum proportion thresholds for Hong Kong-provided maritime services—including legal and arbitration services—and requiring Hong Kong to be designated as the place of arbitration. Promotional activities for the regime included visits to Geneva in April 2026, as well as Beijing and Shanghai in September 2026.
- **Ship Registration Reforms:** The Government plans to introduce an amendment bill to the Legislative Council in 2026 to establish a dual registration arrangement (demise charter registration). To avoid jurisdictional conflicts under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the bill will explicitly stipulate a primary flag suspension mechanism prior to the secondary flag taking effect.
- **Arbitration Law Reform:** A Working Group on Arbitration Law Reform was established in 2025 to review the Arbitration Ordinance (Cap. 609), focusing on speed, confidentiality, and autonomy.
**Talent Nurturing**
The Transport and Logistics Bureau is promoting a Maritime Academy through institution-enterprise collaboration, supplementing the Maritime Services Traineeship Scheme - Legal launched in September 2023, which has subsidised 11 trainees to date.
Who May Be Affected
Commodity traders, shipowners, maritime legal practitioners, arbitrators, and international businesses choosing dispute resolution seats.
Cross-Border Context
Connects Hong Kong's maritime sector with China's National 15th Five-Year Plan, with targeted promotional outreach to Geneva, Beijing, and Shanghai, and cross-border dispute resolution involving Chinese Mainland and Singapore entities.
What to check next
- Monitor legislative progress on the Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Tax Concessions for Shipping-related Activities and Physical Commodity Trading) Bill 2026 in the Legislative Council.
- Track the formal introduction of the ship registration amendment bill during 2026.
- Follow updates from the Working Group on Arbitration Law Reform regarding amendments to the Arbitration Ordinance (Cap. 609).
This article provides general information and does not constitute legal advice. Consult the official text and obtain advice appropriate to your circumstances where needed.