Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected dried fins of scheduled guitarfishes worth about $500,000
Hong Kong Customs yesterday (June 16) seized about 240 kilograms of suspected dried fins of scheduled guitarfishes, with an estimated market value of about $500,000, at the Kwai Chung Customhouse Cargo Examination Compound.
Through risk assessment, Customs officers yesterday selected two seaborne containers, arriving from Yemen to Hong Kong, for inspection. Officers respectively seized about 20kg and 220kg of suspected dried fins of scheduled guitarfishes.
The case was handed over to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department for follow-up action.
Under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance (Cap. 586), any person found guilty of importing, exporting, or possessing specimens of endangered species not in accordance with the Ordinance commits an offence and will be liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for 10 years upon conviction with the specimens forfeited.
Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).
Hong Kong Customs yesterday (June 16) seized about 240 kilograms of suspected dried fins of scheduled guitarfishes, with an estimated market value of about $500,000. Photo shows some of the seized suspected dried fins of scheduled guitarfishes. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Customs yesterday (June 16) seized about 240 kilograms of suspected dried fins of scheduled guitarfishes, with an estimated market value of about $500,000. Photo shows some of the seized suspected dried fins of scheduled guitarfishes. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
DEVB launches Hong Kong Edition of New Engineering Contract - Professional Service Contract
The Hong Kong Edition of the New Engineering Contract (NEC) - Professional Service Contract (PSC) was officially launched today (June 18, London time) at the NEC 2026 Annual Conference and Martin Barnes Awards Presentation Ceremony held in London, the United Kingdom. This is the third Hong Kong Edition of the NEC standard contract template released by the Development Bureau (DEVB), following its introduction of the Engineering and Construction Contract (ECC) and the Term Service Contract (TSC) in 2023 and 2024 respectively.
Speaking at the NEC Annual Conference, the Permanent Secretary for Development (Works), Mr Ricky Lau, said, "The official launch of the Hong Kong Edition of the NEC - PSC today extends the collaborative approach advocated by the NEC to various types of engineering professional services. This marks the availability of a complete set of localised NEC contract templates in Hong Kong, which will benefit the overall development of the local construction industry."
The PSC is applicable to the appointment of engineering consultants or professional service providers for work covering engineering feasibility studies, design, project management, contract administration, site supervision, etc. This new contract template complements those previously launched for the ECC and the TSC, allowing the NEC collaborative philosophy to be consistently implemented across all stages of project planning, design, construction and subsequent maintenance, thereby forming a comprehensive contract system that meets the needs of Hong Kong's construction industry and promotes its sustainable development.
The NEC form upholds the philosophy of collaborative partnering, incorporating contractual mechanisms such as early warning of risks, compensation and defined action timetables, allowing contractual issues to be resolved effectively and enhancing project performance. The DEVB introduced the NEC form to public works projects in 2009, and it has since been adopted in more than 850 public works contracts with a total value exceeding HK$550 billion. Public organisations such as the Airport Authority Hong Kong and the MTR Corporation Limited have also adopted this form of contract.
Separately, several NEC-based infrastructure projects of the Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) competed for the Martin Barnes Awards this year. Among the approximately 80 global entries, the CEDD won five awards (see Annex). Presented by the NEC Users' Group under the Institution of Civil Engineers of the United Kingdom, the awards recognise organisations and projects worldwide for their outstanding performance in adopting the NEC form.
DEVB launches Hong Kong Edition of New Engineering Contract - Professional Service Contract Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
DEVB launches Hong Kong Edition of New Engineering Contract - Professional Service Contract Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
