The inaugural meeting of the Hong Kong Boating Industry Association (Hong Kong BIA) was held on the 28 November, at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club. It’s been a long time in the gestation, but the meeting on the 28 November, saw the first step in the creation of the Hong Kong Boating Industry Association, a trade association aiming to represent all sectors of the leisure marine industry from charterers to chandlers, in Hong Kong.
香港遊艇業總會就職會議於11月28日在皇家香港遊艇會舉行。這會議醞釀多時，然而在11月28日的會議中，見證了踏出創立香港遊艇業總會的第一步，這商貿協會的目標是能夠代表香港休閒海事業務從租船業到船具零售商中的所有界別。

“It is remarkable,” said Simon Boyde, Acting Chairman, “that although Hong Kong has the biggest concentration of pleasure vessels in Asia, and is undoubtedly the biggest centre of boating in the region, the industry has no representative association – unlike all our neighbours.”

代主席Simon Boyde稱“這是值得注意的”，“雖然香港在亞洲區是最大的休閒船隻集中地，同時毫無疑問也是區域內最大的船隻中心。但是業界並無任何協會代表- 和鄰近地區有所不同。”

That is now being fixed. At a meeting of over 60 marine company representatives at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club (standing room only – literally), and after the Aims and Objectives of the proposed Association had been outlined to the floor, a unanimous show of hands said, “yes, let’s do this,” and the creation of an Hong Kong BIA was approved. More than half the companies signed the Articles of Association on the spot and a number of companies handed over cheques to join the Association.

現時已被確立了。在皇家香港遊艇會有超過60間海事公司代表出席的會議中（只設企位房間-字面上），向各在場人士講述建議協會宗旨及目的各要點大綱後，大家一致舉手表決“同意，一起去做吧。”香港遊艇業總會因此被認可創立。超過半數公司即場簽署協會條款，同時亦有若干公司交付支票加入協會。
 
An Inaugural General Meeting to elect officers and appoint industry sector representatives will take place next month. Sectors to be included in the Association will be:

選舉委員及委任各業界代表的就職大會將會於下月召開。協會包括以下各業界:

• Boat Brokers

• Boat Charter / Yacht Management

• Builders / Yards / Manufacturers

• Chandlers / Distributors

• Marinas / Clubs / Training Organisations

• Media / PR

• Professional Services / Transportation / Safety Equipment Servicing

• Technical Services / Repairs / Installations

• • 船隻代理

  • 船隻租賃/遊艇管理

  • 生產商/船廠/製造商

  • 零售/分銷商

  • 遊艇碼頭/俱樂部/培訓機構

  • 媒體/公共關係

  • 專業服務/運輸/安全設備服務

  • 技術支援/維修/安裝

“We believe that it is absolutely essential that the Hong Kong BIA be representative of as many companies as possible under the umbrella of the leisure marine industry,” said Louise Connolly, Acting Treasurer. “The amount of immediate support for the initiative shows that such an Association is long overdue for the industry.”
代司庫Louise Connolly稱“我們相信這是絕對有必要讓香港遊艇業總會在休閒海事業界保護傘下成為眾多公司代表。在倡議中獲得大量即時支持顯示成立協會正是業界期待已久。 ”

Once the Association has been legally established, and that is currently in progress, a Council will be formed consisting of a Chair, Deputy Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer plus eight members (one from each of the HK Marine Industry Sectors, listed above). It is intended that the Sectors will meet on a monthly basis, and report back to the Council. Corporate Members of the HKBIA may register with up to two sectors at the time of enlisting.

當協會合法地成立後，現時已有進展，一個委員會將會組成，包括一位主席，副主席，秘書，及司庫加上八位委員（上述香港海事業界各一位）。

委員會計劃業界每月開會一次並向委員會匯報。香港遊艇業總會的公司會員可註冊加入兩個業界成為代表。

The proposed fee structure is pitched “deliberately low” in order to encourage all companies – big or small - to join the Association. Only with an appropriate level of inclusiveness and professionalism will the Hong Kong BIA be properly recognised both locally and internationally, and be in a position to approach Government and other bodies with the authority to speak on behalf of industry participants.
為鼓勵所有公司 –大或少- 加入協會，因此建議費用定為“偏低”。

只要有適當程度的包容性及專業性，香港遊艇業總會便會在本地及國際間獲得承認，同時亦可具有位置代業界向政府及法定組織發聲。

Thanks go to the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club for hosting the meeting and to Ince Law for the pro bono work done in helping to set up the Association. With a green light from the industry the future of the pleasure boating industry in Hong Kong is looking positive.

感謝皇家香港遊艇會主辦這次會議及Ince Law協助成立協會的無償工作。