In Hong Kong, all container terminal facilities are financed, developed, owned and operated by the private sector, a practice adopted by few major international ports in the world. The Government's role is to undertake long-term strategic planning for port facilities and to provide the necessary supporting infrastructure, such as by building roads and dredging access channels to the terminals.

The Hong Kong Port Development Council (PDC), chaired by the Secretary for Economic Development and Labour, is a dedicated, high-level advisory body comprising key players from the private sector and the Government to discuss and coordinate matters in developing and promoting the port industry. The PDC advises the Government on the port development strategy and port facility planning to meet future demand. It also assists the Government in promoting Hong Kong as a regional hub port and a leading container port in the world.

A Port Development Advisory Group, formed under PDC, assists the council in examining port cargo forecasts and assessing port development needs in the light of changing demand, port capacity, productivity, performance and competition both locally and regionally.