Experts explore marine insurance outlook as Hong Kong bolsters maritime hub status

Experts explore marine insurance outlook as Hong Kong bolsters maritime hub status

26 January 2026

At the Asian Financial Forum (AFF)¹ today (26 January 2026), the Insurance Authority (IA) hosted a panel discussion titled "Charting Future Seas: Hong Kong's Maritime Prospects for Insurance", where experts in insurance and professional services shared insights on Hong Kong's strengths, challenges and strategic leverage in embracing the evolving marine insurance landscape.

Mr Clement Lau, panel moderator and Executive Director, Policy and Legislation of the IA, said, "Marine insurance underpins Hong Kong's strategic positioning as an international financial, shipping and trade centre. Against a backdrop of an increasingly complex and shifting global trade landscape, the development of Hong Kong's marine insurance sector calls for a more strategic and forward looking approach."

Through the future-oriented lens, the panelists delved into three key elements for sustainable development of our marine insurance market. These included talent development to ensure a robust and continuous pipeline of professionals with specialised knowledge in niche areas of marine risk. In parallel, rapid technological innovation in the shipping industry and the global trend of supply chain digitalisation require the sector to respond proactively in order to remain competitive. Equally important is also the need to foster stronger synergies across Hong Kong's diversified maritime services in the marine insurance ecosystem.

"Building on the targeted policy support already in place to promote marine insurance, together with encouraging recent developments that injected impetus, we look forward to seeing more coordinated and collaborative efforts among stakeholders to drive our marine insurance sector to grow from strength to strength, and to more fully manifest its functions in the national dual circulation strategy," Mr Lau concluded.

Full programme of AFF and more details about the IA's breakout panel discussion can be found here.

Ends

The IA hosts a panel discussion at the AFF 2026 where experts exchange views on how marine insurance helps strengthen Hong Kong's leading position as a premier maritime hub.

Note:

¹ The Asian Financial Forum (AFF) is the region's premier platform that brings together influential leaders from government, finance, and business communities globally for ground-breaking discussions and exchange of insights on the global economy from an Asian perspective.