Transportation Sector Receipts Surge 12.5% to $755.6 Billion in 2024, Driving Economic Growth

Key statistics on business performance and operating characteristics of the transportation, storage and courier services sector in 2024

According to the results of the 2024 Annual Survey of Economic Activities – Transportation, Storage and Courier Services Sector released today (November 27) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), total receipts (comprising business receipts and other income) of the transportation, storage and courier services sector amounted to $755.6 billion in 2024, representing an increase of 12.5% compared with 2023; on a per company basis, total receipts increased by 14.0% compared with 2023 to $27.6 million in 2024.

Operating expenses and compensation of employees of this sector altogether amounted to $630.9 billion in 2024, representing an increase of 12.4% compared with 2023; on a per company basis, they increased by 13.9% compared with 2023 to $23.1 million in 2024.

Gross surplus of the sector, which is equal to total receipts less operating expenses and compensation of employees, increased by 13.4% compared with 2023 to $124.7 billion in 2024; on a per company basis, gross surplus increased from $4.0 million in 2023 to $4.6 million in 2024. Gross surplus accounted for 16.5% of total receipts of this sector in 2024, up by 0.1 percentage point compared with 2023.

Industry value added of the sector, which is a broad measure of its contribution to Hong Kong's Gross Domestic Product, increased by 12.0% compared with 2023 to $197.3 billion in 2024; on a per company basis, industry value added was $7.2 million in 2024, which increased by 13.4% compared with 2023.

According to the survey results, it was estimated that the sector comprised about 27 300 companies and engaged about 209 900 persons, or an average of 7.7 persons per company, in 2024.

Within the transportation, storage and courier services sector, the five largest industry groupings in terms of industry value added in 2024 were (1) air transport and service activities incidental to air transportation, (2) cross-border water transport, (3) land passenger transport, (4) other transportation support activities, and (5) land freight transport. They together accounted for 87.5% of the industry value added of the sector.

In the air transport and service activities incidental to air transportation industry, total receipts amounted to $165.8 billion while operating expenses and compensation of employees totalled $132.2 billion in 2024. Gross surplus decreased from $35.1 billion in 2023 to $33.7 billion in 2024, accounting for 20.3% of total receipts in 2024. Industry value added increased by 4.9% compared with 2023 to $62.6 billion.

In the cross-border water transport industry, total receipts amounted to $157.9 billion while operating expenses and compensation of employees totalled $119.9 billion in 2024. Gross surplus increased notably from $26.5 billion in 2023 to $37.9 billion in 2024, accounting for 24.0% of total receipts in 2024. Industry value added also increased notably by 38.7% compared with 2023 to $40.6 billion.

In the land passenger transport industry, total receipts amounted to $62.7 billion while operating expenses and compensation of employees totalled $49.5 billion in 2024. Gross surplus increased from $11.3 billion in 2023 to $13.2 billion in 2024, accounting for 21.1% of total receipts in 2024. Industry value added increased by 11.2% compared with 2023 to $32.1 billion.

In the other transportation support activities industry which comprised mainly cargo forwarders and shipbrokers, total receipts amounted to $264.3 billion while operating expenses and compensation of employees totalled $237.2 billion in 2024. Gross surplus increased from $22.2 billion in 2023 to $27.1 billion in 2024, accounting for 10.3% of total receipts in 2024. Industry value added increased by 15.2% compared with 2023 to $26.7 billion.

In the land freight transport industry, total receipts amounted to $26.8 billion while operating expenses and compensation of employees totalled $24.4 billion in 2024. Gross surplus increased from $1.9 billion in 2023 to $2.4 billion in 2024, accounting for 9.1% of total receipts in 2024. Industry value added increased by 15.2% compared with 2023 to $10.7 billion.

Selected statistics for the transportation, storage and courier services sector are shown in the attached table.

More detailed survey results on the transportation, storage and courier services sector will be given in the report "Key Statistics on Business Performance and Operating Characteristics of the Transportation, Storage and Courier Services Sector in 2024". Users can browse and download this report at the website of C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1080010&scode=340) as from end-December 2025.

For enquiries about the key statistics on business performance and operating characteristics of the transportation, storage and courier services sector, please contact the Logistics and Producer Prices Statistics Section of the C&SD (Tel: 3903 7256; email: transport@censtatd.gov.hk).

Photo source: The official website of C&SD

Re-launch of Reporting Scheme for Unauthorised Building Works in New Territories Exempted Houses

Following the direction of earlier proposals, the Buildings Department (BD) announced today (April 1) the re-launch of the Reporting Scheme for Unauthorised Building Works (UBWs) in New Territories Exempted Houses (NTEHs). The reporting period will last for one year from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.

"In view of the history and unique circumstances of the NTEHs (commonly known as village houses), the Government launched a one-off administrative reporting scheme in 2012 as a special arrangement. Under the scheme, owners could report to the BD about UBWs that were erected before June 28, 2011, posed lower risks or constituted less serious contravention of the law. The reporting period ended in December 2012. The Development Bureau (DEVB) put forward proposals to amend the Buildings Ordinance in December 2024, which included rationalising the policy for handling UBWs. The DEVB also pointed out that in response to the views of villagers and Legislative Council members that the reporting period was too short, the Government prepared to re-launch the Reporting Scheme to allow owners who at that time did not report their UBWs to do so," a spokesman for the BD said.

Relevant stakeholders and Legislative Council members generally considered the above proposals practical and feasible, and they welcomed the proposals. The DEVB and the BD have also consulted Heung Yee Kuk on the relevant implementation arrangements.

The re-launched Reporting Scheme will maintain the original criteria, including:

(1) The types of UBWs that can be reported and their erection dates are the same as the original Reporting Scheme, meaning that only UBWs erected before June 28, 2011, posed lower risks or constituted less serious contravention of the law and were not the First Round Targets (Note) are eligible. Examples include signboards projecting from the external walls of village houses; enclosed rooftop structures with a coverage of not more than 50 per cent of the roofed-over area of the main building.

(2) Same as the original Reporting Scheme, owners are required to conduct safety inspections on the reported UBWs every five years.

"The BD will not require the immediate removal of the reported UBWs unless their structures become obviously dangerous. Regarding UBWs in village houses, the BD is prioritising the handling of First Round Targets. If any relevant UBWs remain not reported after the application deadline of March 31, 2027, the BD will, after dealing with the First Round Targets, take priority enforcement action against the non-reported UBWs. The BD will formulate enforcement strategy for the reported UBWs at a later stage in accordance with the risks and the actual situation," the spokesman added.

To enhance the efficiency of processing applications, reports must be submitted via the electronic platform on the BD's website by technically competent persons or registered professional engineers appointed by owners. In accordance with the user-pays principle, an administrative fee of $600 is payable for each application. Upon successful reports, owners must also pay the relevant administrative fee when conducting safety inspections of the reported UBWs every five years.

Details of the re-launched Reporting Scheme are available on the BD's website at https://www.bd.gov.hk/en/safety-inspection/ubw/UBW-in-new-territories-exempted-houses/index_relaunch_reporting_scheme.html; Villagers who wish to report can call 2626 1616 for enquiry. The BD will also use different channels such as distributing leaflets and posters to Rural Committees to enable villagers to know more about the re-launch of the Reporting Scheme.

Owners who had successfully participated in the Reporting Scheme in 2012 are not required to submit reports again. However, they must continue to comply with the requirements of the original Reporting Scheme, including conducting safety inspections of the reported UBWs every five years, submitting safety certificates and paying administrative fees to the BD.

Note: The First Round Targets refer to UBWs with higher potential risks and more serious nature, such as village houses of four storeys or more, and enclosed rooftop structures covering more than 50 per cent of the roofed-over area.

Source: AI-found images