Hong Kong has some 80 international shipping lines with 500 sailings weekly to 500 destinations around the world. There are about 900 shipping-related companies operating in Hong Kong, providing a great variety of quality maritime services ranging from marine insurance, maritime legal services, arbitration, ship financing, brokerage, management and registration to ship survey services. Hong Kong is now the seventh largest maritime centre in the world. Members of the Hong Kong Shipowners Association own, manage or operate over a thousand vessels with over 46 million gross tonnage.

Some of the world's largest and oldest shipping companies are based in Hong Kong providing professional services not only to Hong Kong-registered ships, but also to ships calling here. Other international maritime service providers have also set up offices in Hong Kong, providing various supplies and support services including ship maintenance and repair, bunkering, ship replenishment, waste disposal, information technology (IT) and communication services, auditing and tax advisory services, and training services. The shipping and maritime sectors contribute significantly to Hong Kong's economy and the job market.

Hong Kong is proactive in negotiating double taxation relief arrangements covering shipping income with its trading partners. Hong Kong has so far succeeded in making such arrangements with 13 tax administrations, including the Mainland, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States.