Some of the world's largest and oldest ship management companies are based in Hong Kong. Many of them take leading roles in the International Ship Managers Association. The UNCTAD secretariat ranks Hong Kong as the seventh important maritime centre in 2007 in terms of vessel tonnage it controls.

Since its establishment in 1957, the Hong Kong Shipowners Association (HKSOA) has grown from having only 11 local shipowners to one of the world's largest shipowners' associations and a significant player in the international shipping sector.

HKSOA members own or manage about eight per cent of the world's commercial fleet - over 1,240 vessels with a combined carry capacity of about 78 million deadweight tonnes.