Topic summary
Marine Department (Hong Kong)
The Marine Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (MarDep) is an agency of the government of Hong Kong. It is responsible for maintaining the safety and environmental protection of the Port of Hong Kong, tracking registered foreign ships, monitoring shipping traffic in Hong Kong waters, and launching search and rescue operations in the South China Sea.
The department's head office is in the in Central, Hong Kong. The department also conducts investigations of marine accidents.
The department is led by the , Carol Yuen (袁小惠), who reports to the Secretary for Transport and Housing.
The Marine Department is also responsible for coordinating the following operations in the waters around Hong Kong:
- Hong Kong Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre – search and rescue
- administering ship registration in Hong Kong
- ensuring compliance with international and marine laws
- ensuring compliance with environmental protection standards and combating pollution (oil spills)
- providing and maintaining government vessels (Government Dockyard)
- facilitating the safe and expeditious movement of ships
Hong Kong is a major cargo port—in 2000, it processed 175 million tonnes of cargo and 18.1 million TEU. The Marine Department is also the port authority of the territory.