Stephen Davies, Hong Kong Maritime Museum director, explains why the largest global shipping players still choose Hong Kong as their regional base

Much of Hong Kong's history and status as a world-class city stems from its connections with the sea and its seafaring past. Now, at the new Hong Kong Maritime Museum, visitors can not only see and learn about Hong Kong's maritime history and heritage, but also how China, Asia and the West have contributed to the development of ships, maritime exploration and trade.

The Maritime Museum, which is a privately funded, non-profit educational institution, traces over 4,000 years of shipping development along the South China coast and its adjacent seas. It also covers global trends, and provides a comprehensive account of Hong Kong's growth and development as a major world port and top maritime centre.

"Hong Kong's maritime cluster embraces just about every sector from maritime law and arbitration, ship finance and insurance, agents, brokers, marine equipment companies, classification societies and surveyors and a world-class ship registry," said Stephen Davies, the Hong Kong Maritime Museum director.

Major centre for shipping

He said visitors to the museum will be able to learn and appreciate just how important Hong Kong's maritime industry was in the early days and continues to be today. "Hong Kong's role as a major centre for the shipping business means that the largest global players in the shipping and ship broking industry choose Hong Kong as their regional base," he said.

The 5,000 square foot museum, divided into two galleries, covers the ages of sail and steam and boasts more than 500 exhibits including models of ancient and modern ships, paintings, ceramics, trade goods, ships manifests, a video about the ship of the future and interactive games for both children and adults.

Other highlights include a replica of the first Chinese junk on record, the Keying, which sailed from Hong Kong in 1844 with a mixed English and Chinese crew and eventually reached England in 1846. There is also a model of a 2,000-year-old boat made of pottery from the Han dynasty, and the only known oriental ships' figurehead, believed to have been carved sometime during the 19th century. 

The location of the museum could not be better, too. It is on the ground floor of the historic 151-year-old Murray Building on the picturesque Stanley Village waterfront - the site of one of Hong Kong's oldest fishing communities.

The museum project is the brainchild of Anthony Hardy, a former Wallem shipping company chairman and long-time Hong Kong resident. Mr Hardy and a number of like-minded allies raised over HK$25 million (US$3.2 million) with the support of Hong Kong's shipping community.

Broad ranging support

Donors and supporters include Cosco Shipping, Hutchison Port Holdings and Orient Overseas (International). Exhibits have been sourced from all over the world and chosen for their relevance and the part they have played in the development of shipping.

Mr Davies said the Hong Kong Housing Authority, which owns Murray House, a former a military barracks, has been supportive of the cultural project and is pleased with its initial success. He said the authority had been keen to provide space for the museum as it aligned with its strategy to promote cultural awareness through its public amenities. The museum welcomes about 2,000 visitors per week including a number of repeat visitors. 

"The museum encapsulates Hong Kong's past, present and maritime future," Mr Davies said. "Wherever you look Hong Kong revolves around the sea you can't separate Hong Kong from the sea. Even now, 95 per cent of the trade leaving Hong Kong goes by sea," he said.

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