Media OutReach
Hong Kong Maritime Week: Setting sail for a greener future
With over 50 events organised by more than 70 international, Chinese Mainland and local organisers, HKMW 2025 has drawn a record of over 18,000 participants from around the globe. It provides a high-level platform for policymakers, senior representatives of international organisations as well as industrial luminaries and practitioners to share their perspectives and exchange views on various topics of interest to the global maritime industry.
Speaking at the opening ceremony (November 17), John Lee, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), urged stronger international collaboration to overcome challenges and forge a more sustainable future for maritime industries.
“In a world being reshaped by geopolitical discord, technological disruption and climate change, these themes are more than aspirational. They sound an alarm, a wake-up call to collective action,” Mr Lee said. “Hong Kong’s role as a stable, reliable and dynamic maritime hub has never been more vital. The principle of ‘one country, two systems’ is the cornerstone of our success, providing us with an unshakeable foundation.”
Mr Lee also attended the opening of the two-day Asian Logistics, Maritime and Aviation Conference (ALMAC) (November 17-18), an anchor event of HKMW that welcomed some 2,300 high-profile logistics leaders and professionals from more than 40 countries and regions . During the event, he unveiled the first batch of ports under the newly established Partner Port network.
“I am particularly pleased to announce that Hong Kong has established Partner Port relationships with Guangxi port and Dalian port in the Chinese Mainland, and Port San Antonio in Chile,” Mr Lee said. “These ports are of strategic importance, and true to our character and policy priorities. As an international maritime centre, we connect the Chinese Mainland with the world and seek partners who support an open, international trade order.”
Echoing the theme of the HKMW 2025, the HKSAR Government’s Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mable Chan, said green transformation is a major global trend in the maritime industry. To help meet the International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s target of achieving net-zero carbon emissions from international shipping by 2050, the government was bringing together all parties, including fuel suppliers and other IMO members to achieve this goal as a joint force.
In a media interview, Ms Chan outlined recent government initiatives to promote green shipping. These include announcing the Code of Practice on LNG Bunkering and Code of Practice on Methanol Bunkering, and launching the Green Maritime Fuel Bunkering Incentive Scheme to provide incentives to pioneer companies conducting green maritime fuel bunkering businesses in Hong Kong for relevant bunkering operations.
“The government facilitated the conduct of the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) ship-to-ship bunkering demonstration by the industry in February 2025. Since then, 13 commercial LNG bunkering operations have been successfully conducted, regularising the provision of commercial LNG bunkering services in Hong Kong,” Ms Chan said. “These demonstrate Hong Kong’s great potential in developing green maritime fuel bunkering.”
Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the HKSAR Government, highlighted opportunities arising from decarbonisation. Speaking at the Hong Kong Global Maritime Trade Summit (November 17) themed “Building Resilience, Driving Growth and Investment”, Mr Chan said that maritime decarbonisation represents a “multi-trillion-dollar investment opportunity” through 2050.
“The transition to zero-emission marine fuels could create up to 4 million jobs globally across the energy supply chain,” he said. “Here in Hong Kong, we are embracing this. For example, we have published an Action Plan on Green Maritime Fuel Bunkering, positioning ourselves as a regional hub for sustainable fuel supply. Our goal is to provide bunkering services for green fuels to ocean-going vessels more than 60 times per year by 2030, involving over 200,000 tonnes of green maritime fuels.”
Hong Kong ranks fourth, globally, in the International Shipping Centre Development Index for six consecutive years and is home to more than 1,200 port and maritime-related companies, a thriving cluster of global leaders in ship management, finance, insurance and law.
To enhance the city’s leading position in high value-added maritime services, Mr Lee said Hong Kong would make good use of its “one country, two systems” advantages, including being China’s only bilingual common law jurisdiction as well as offering a simple and low tax regime, free port status and the unfettered flow of capital, information and talent.
Ms Chan said, “We will strengthen collaboration with international marine insurance organisations to upscale the training of marine insurance talents, whilst expanding the scope of the Maritime and Aviation Training Fund to cover more green energy courses, thereby reinforcing Hong Kong maritime strengths.”
By harnessing the power of AI, blockchain, cloud computing and other cutting-edge technologies, Hong Kong is developing a Port Community System, to be launched in January 2026. It will enable real-time cargo tracking and facilitate data exchange across transport modes, boosting trade and capital flows digitally, opening up new opportunities, from trade financing to more efficient customs declaration.
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GoTyme Bank becomes the first digital bank in the Philippines to enable Apple Pay, expanding secure and seamless digital payments for 10 million customers
MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Media OutReach Newswire – 18 August 2026 – Paymentology, the leading global issuer processor, today announced the successful launch of Apple Pay for GoTyme Bank in the Philippines. Through this launch, GoTyme becomes one of the first issuers in the Philippine market to enable Apple Pay, giving 10 million customers an easy, secure and private way to pay using their Apple devices.
As one of the country’s fastest-growing digital banks, GoTyme continues to accelerate its digital payments strategy by expanding secure, seamless and convenient payment experiences for Filipino consumers. Customers can now securely add their GoTyme debit card to Apple Wallet and make contactless payments in stores, within apps and online wherever Apple Pay is accepted.
Apple Pay uses industry-leading tokenisation technology, meaning card numbers are never stored on devices or shared with merchants. Instead, a unique Device Account Number is assigned, with every transaction authenticated through Face ID, Touch ID or a device passcode, providing an additional layer of security while delivering a fast, frictionless checkout experience.
Nate Clark, President and CEO at GoTyme Bank commented: “At GoTyme Bank, we’re constantly looking for ways to make banking simpler, safer and more rewarding for our customers. Bringing Apple Pay to GoTyme Bank customers in the Philippines gives them an easy and secure way to pay wherever they shop while continuing to earn rewards points on all their transactions. This is another step in our commitment to making everyday banking more beautiful and convenient for our customers.
The launch comes as digital payments continue to reshape the Philippine economy. According to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), digital payments now account for more than half of all retail payment transactions, as consumers increasingly embrace mobile-first banking and contactless payments. Meanwhile, smartphone penetration continues to rise, supporting growing demand for digital wallets and tokenised payment experiences. As digital commerce accelerates, enabling secure mobile payments through services such as Apple Pay is becoming an increasingly important differentiator for financial institutions.
Minh-Ha Truong, Head of Growth, APAC at Paymentology, added: “As a long-standing partner to GoTyme, we’re proud to support another significant milestone in its growth journey. Bringing Apple Pay to market demonstrates how modern, cloud-native issuer processing enables digital banks to rapidly deliver innovative payment experiences while maintaining the highest standards of security, scalability and performance. Together, we’re helping shape the future of digital payments in the Philippines.”
The launch further strengthens GoTyme’s position as one of Southeast Asia’s leading digital banks and highlights the value of Paymentology’s cloud-native issuer processing platform in helping banks and fintechs rapidly introduce innovative payment capabilities that meet evolving customer expectations.
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Media OutReach
New Documentary Under the Hakka Liugdui Sun From Discovery to Debut on August 20 in Southeast Asia
Set against the sun-drenched landscapes of southern Taiwan, Under the Hakka Liugdui Sun highlights how the people of Liugdui have thrived alongside the land for over 300 years. Following local scholars, farmers, and artisans, the documentary explores how this community adapts its deep-rooted traditions—from water stewardship to food heritage—in response to environmental and economic change, offering vital modern insights on sustainability, rural revitalization, and cultural continuity.
Across three episodes—Water, agriculture, and food—the documentary explores how the people of Liugdui blend tradition with modern innovation. Viewers meet groundwater experts, farmers pioneering sustainable crops, and artisans repurposing local materials like betel nut, alongside culinary practitioners who preserve Hakka identity through ancestral rituals, communal feasts, and family traditions that unite generations.
Audiences will discover a community that views tradition not as something fixed in the past, but as a living legacy that continues to evolve. From innovative groundwater management and botanical dyeing to ritual feasts and modern interpretations of Hakka cuisine – the documentary celebrates the creativity, resilience, and values that have sustained Liugdui for centuries.
Under the Hakka Liugdui Sun premieres in Southeast Asia on Discovery Channel, Thursday, August 20 at 7:10pm; TLC Channel, Monday, August 24 at 7:10pm; and Discovery Asia, Tuesday, August 25 at 9:25pm.
Hashtag: #Discovery
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About Discovery Channel
The launch press conference broke away from tradition with a vibrant runway show featuring celebrity “Hot Spring Travel Navigators,” including acclaimed chef Edward Lee from Netflix’s Culinary Class Wars, visual identity creative director Yen Po-Chun, TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE Taiwan Chairman Kazuma Otsuka, and actor-host Andrew Chau. Together with local businesses, they showcased regional agriculture, specialties, and lifestyle products.
The official launch celebration kicks off on September 4 at Guguan Park in Taichung, featuring a themed parade with over 500 participants and the lighting ceremony for the Lishan–Guguan Light Art Festival, which stars a massive eight-meter “OhBear” light installation. The festivities continue on September 5 with a guided tribal trekking tour in Guguan, offering participants an exclusive NT$500 accommodation discount.
To promote four-season wellness tourism globally, the campaign partners with the East Asia Hot Spring Association for an international symposium on September 4. Key promotions also include complimentary LINE POINTS for new followers, curated packages starting at NT$299, and a flash sale of 800 limited NT$1 Hot Spring Vouchers for the Double 11 Shopping Festival. Furthermore, cross-sector collaborations offer half-price entry to national forest areas, limited-edition Taiwan Railway bento boxes, and Guanziling mud spring skincare products to enrich the travel experience.Hashtag: #TaiwanFourSeasonSprings
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