Hong Kong plans maritime academy with industry-school model
Bastillepost · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago5 MIN
Summary
Transport and Logistics Secretary Mable Chan (陳美寶) said one of the key measures in this year's Policy Address is to push for the establishment of a Hong Kong Maritime Academy under a new industry-school collaboration model. She said the plan is intended to build shipping talent, attract younger entrants over time and strengthen Hong Kong's soft power as an international maritime centre.
Key Points
- Chan said the proposed academy would work with well-known maritime institutions in Hong Kong and overseas, as well as leading global shipping companies, to train talent jointly.
- The government plans to work closely with the industry to map out cross-disciplinary career pathways, with the long-term aim of bringing younger people into the shipping sector.
- After launching a school-based logistics curriculum in March last year, authorities expanded the material into maritime studies this October through a Maritime Professional Education Resource Centre for primary and secondary students.
- Chan said the Hong Kong International Aviation Academy enters its 10th academic year in 2026/27, and more than 450,000 participations were recorded from April 2017 to August 2026 across airport management, security and aviation services training.
- The academy is studying specialised C919 courses with Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China and related maintenance organisations, while about 40 locally based maintenance technicians are already qualified to service the aircraft.
Why It Matters
The plan links early exposure in schools, professional training and employer participation into a single talent pipeline for two strategic transport sectors in Hong Kong. With the Maritime and Aviation Training Fund carrying a total commitment of HK$500 million and having benefited more than 24,000 students and in-service practitioners by September 2026, the government is signalling a longer-term push to deepen local skills capacity.