The project led by Prof. Keith CHAN, Assistant Professor in the Division of Environment and Sustainability (ENVR), has been awarded over HK$3.4 million under the Strategic Public Policy Research Funding Scheme (SPPRFS) 2025–26 to support Hong Kong’s transition toward a greener, more sustainable maritime future.

Titled “Enhancing Hong Kong’s Status as a Green Maritime Hub: An Integrated Study of Strategic Green Port Measures” the project team includes ENVR faculty members Prof. Alexis LAU (Head and Chair Professor of ENVR, Tang Junyuan Professor of Environmental Science), Prof. Christine LOH (Chief Development Strategist, ENVR and the Institute for the Environment), and Prof. Kenneth LEUNG (Adjunct Professor of ENVR and Director of the Sustainability/Net-Zero Office).

Leveraging interdisciplinary expertise in environmental science, policy, and management, the project will assess Hong Kong’s maritime fuel use and emissions profile, benchmark global best practices to advance Hong Kong’s green shipping corridors and onshore power supply, develop an internationally credible framework to certify carbon reduction from Hong Kong’s green fuel bunkering, and evaluate Hong Kong’s competitive positioning as a regional green maritime hub. This study will support the HKSAR Government’s vision outlined in the Action Plan on Green Maritime Fuel Bunkering and the Action Plan on Maritime and Port Development Strategy.

Administered by the Chief Executive’s Policy Unit, SPPRFS is a government-financed funding scheme dedicated to supporting evidence-based public policy research by higher education institutions and think tanks in Hong Kong. An Assessment Panel of experienced academics and professionals evaluates applications primarily on research quality and strategic relevance to Hong Kong’s policy needs, taking into account external reviewers’ comments and the views of relevant government bureaux/departments.

Learn more about the project: https://www.cepu.gov.hk/doc/en/sppr_research_abstract/S2025.A7.025.25S_Abstract_en.pdf