The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) today (9 March) named the International Centre for Maritime Studies (ICMS) of its Department of Logistics and Maritime Studies in honour of the late shipping magnate Mr C.Y. Tung, and in recognition of the staunch support and recent generous donation of $10 million by The Tung Foundation to the University.
The opening ceremony of the C.Y. Tung ICMS was officiated at by Dr Tung Chee-chen, Donor Representative of The Tung Foundation; Mr Victor Lo Chung-wing, PolyU Council Chairman; and Prof. Timothy W. Tong, PolyU President.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Victor Lo said, “The Tung’s family is a staunch supporter of our University and this long-standing relationship can be traced back to the 1980s. In 1982, our Seawise Laboratories were named in recognition of a generous donation from The Tung Foundation, which was founded by the late Mr C.Y. Tung. His enthusiasm is inherited by his son, and Dr Tung has over the years offered his insights and expertise to support the development of our shipping department, which is now called the Department of Logistics and Maritime Studies.”
Prof. Timothy W. Tong expressed his gratitude to the late Mr C.Y. Tung who was a great believer in education. PolyU is honoured to share Mr Tung’s visions through the University’s unique history of offering professional education in shipping and logistics. Currently, PolyU is the only university providing maritime education in Hong Kong.
Mr C.Y. Tung, a world renowned shipping magnate, devoted a lifetime to the modernization of China’s ocean-going transportation industry. He founded the companies Chinese Maritime Transport, Island Navigation, and Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL), one of the leading companies in the logistics and transportation industry. In 1971, he was one of the pioneers in the concept of shipboard education and played an influential role in the Semester-at-Sea programme, which provides an educational environment for students to gain a taste for international study, travel and life. Subsequently in 1979, he founded The Tung Foundation which focuses on social, cultural and educational causes. The Tung OOCL Scholarship Program, jointly established by The Tung Foundation and OOCL, is active in numerous educational institutions in the Mainland China.
Established in 2005, the ICMS has been promoting innovative research, education and consultancy services, thus providing maritime resources and support for students, academics, industrial partners and the maritime community as a whole. With a total space of 530 square metres, the newly renovated ICMS houses well-equipped laboratories for training purposes as well as addressing commercial, technological and public policy research needs.
For further information of ICMS, please visit its official website: www.icms.polyu.edu.hk.
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