Part 4/11:
An anonymous survey from industry insiders indicates that eight of the world’s top ten shipping companies have developed exit strategies in response. Their plans involve gradually reducing the registry of ships in Hong Kong and relocating headquarters to neutral locations, such as Singapore and Dubai. Shipping data from Vessels Value highlights a worrying trend: a decline in Hong Kong flagged vessels from 2,580 to 2,366, representing an 8% drop from 2023 to 2024. In this period, 74 bulk carriers, tankers, and container ships have abandoned the Hong Kong flag.