The Hong Kong Shippers' Council is currently focused on six matters of concern, according to executive director Sunny Ho. These are the business environment of the Pearl River Delta (PRD), freight rate volatility, local charges and surcharges, new cargo security requirements, the new larger carrier alliances, and carrier service reliability. Mr Ho tells Container Shipping & Trade that many shippers in Hong Kong have manufacturing facilities in the PRD in South China. "We are very concerned about the business environment there. We are concerned about the weak export demand, low profit margins, appreciation of the Chinese currency and its fluctuations, and the area's higher labour costs." Highlighting the gravity of the situation, he sums up: "We are concerned about survival -about whether we are able to continue operations in the PRD."
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