HUTCHISON PORT HOLDINGS TRUST 16 OPERATIONAL REVIEW In 2025, HPH Trust operated in a rapidly evolving trade landscape, including the US-China trade tension and the restructuring of shipping alliances, which caused changes in trade routes and added complexities to the port operating environment. Building on the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Connect (“SZ-HK Connect”) port cluster, both Kwai Tsing Container Terminals and YANTIAN continued to adapt swiftly to customers’ evolving needs while maintaining operational efficiency and improving productivity. These capabilities are critical especially under an industry environment increasingly defined by schedule reliability and timely delivery. Sustained investments in infrastructure and technology upgrades underpin this agility, reinforcing HPH Trust’s position as a vital gateway within South China’s port network and one of the key conduits for trade across the GBA and beyond. ANOTHER YEAR OF OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE Strong execution is central to HPH Trust’s ability to deliver reliable and efficient logistics services in a dynamic global environment. In 2025, the Trust once again demonstrated resilience and capability, achieving notable milestones across both terminals. YANTIAN hit record throughput for the second consecutive year, despite experiencing a record 10 typhoons. During 2025, YANTIAN surpassed 10 months of their respective historical highs, with August recording the highest monthly throughput in YANTIAN’s history. Vessel and barge handling productivity remained strong throughout. Kwai Tsing Container Terminals set a new productivity benchmark in Hong Kong with a large-scale transshipment operation in April, handling approximately 12,000 containers across the 399-metre OOCL Scandinavia and the 366-metre OOCL Egypt within 70 hours using 10 quay cranes (“QCs”). This achievement showcased Kwai Tsing Container Terminals’ capabilities as an international transshipment hub and key catch-up port. These accomplishments reflect HPH Trust’s commitment to strategic operational foundations – encompassing the expansion of multimodal connectivity, continuous infrastructure upgrades, remote control crane deployments, deeper technology adoption, ongoing initiatives to improve user experience, and persistent safety and sustainability investments, as further elaborated below. EXPANDING MULTIMODAL CONNECTIVITY Connectivity underpins HPH Trust’s operations, linking hinterland Chinese Mainland with global markets, supported by the continued expansion of scheduled rail‑sea corridors and multimodal integration. During the year, the Trust advanced the integration of SZ-HK Connect, which has united its two world-class assets – YANTIAN and Kwai Tsing Container Terminals – into South China’s largest port cluster. Building on the Chongqing-Shenzhen-Hong Kong scheduled rail-sea service launched in 2024, a new Chengdu-Shenzhen-Hong Kong service was introduced in 2025, extending the Trust’s inland reach. These corridors deliver transit times of just two days from Chongqing and Chengdu to YANTIAN, providing efficient access to markets in the United States and Europe. Seamless daily barge connections between YANTIAN and Kwai Tsing Container Terminals support onward distribution to growth regions including Intra-Asia, South and Central America and Oceania, reinforcing Hong Kong’s position as a premier transshipment hub. YANTIAN further expanded its hinterland cargo coverage by adding 13 inland ports in 2025, bringing the total network to 30 inland ports, 36 rail service routes and 15 port alliances. This expansion strengthens HPH Trust’s role as a major logistics gateway, providing efficient and timely global market access for hinterland cities. INFRASTRUCTURE AND EQUIPMENT UPGRADES To sustain the capability of handling mega vessels and raise service reliability, HPH Trust continued investing in upgrading and modernising our infrastructure and introducing cutting edge equipment, enhancing cargo handling productivity and capacity across Kwai Tsing Container Terminals and YANTIAN. Kwai Tsing Container Terminals achieved substantial progress in deploying eco-friendly electric-powered autonomous trucks (“ATs”). Following successful proof-of-concept testing, real-world safety assessments and production trials, the terminal is well positioned to launch AT operations in 2026. In 2025, civil works and traffic lane modifications were completed at Terminal 4, and six ATs were purchased. Equipped with onboard AI, multi-dimensional sensors, high-definition cameras and GPS guidance, these vehicles will operate alongside conventional traffic under 5G connectivity, enhancing safety in yard movements while supporting decarbonisation. At YANTIAN, the QC heightening programme has accelerated to accommodate shipping liners’ increasing deployment of ultra-large container vessels. Currently, YANTIAN is able to handle such vessels albeit with some productivity constraints. The programme has now transitioned to its next stage, which plans to heighten 20 QCs over three years through 2027, with six completed in 2025. Upon completion, the mega berths are expected to be fully equipped with 52‑metre‑high quay cranes capable of handling mega vessels at full productivity. Yard storage capacity was also enhanced at YANTIAN to meet growing customer demand for specialised overweight cargoes, including energy storage systems (“ESS”) for which demand grew three times at YANTIAN in 2025 compared to 2024. In 2025, YANTIAN upgraded one rubbertyred gantry crane (“RTGC”) and procured three reach stackers, all with 50-tonne lifting capacity, strengthening capabilities for handling overweight containers, particularly ESS. Construction of YANTIAN East Port Phase I was progressing well. The expansion comprises three fully automated berths designed for ultramega vessels exceeding 200,000 tons in displacement, equivalent to a capacity of more than 24,000 TEU and scalable to 32,000 TEU. By year‑end 2025, the terminal had welcomed 14 double-trolley QCs and 18 automated rail‑mounted gantry cranes (“RMGCs”) and completed construction of the entire quay deck – both key milestones in readiness for the new phase. The commencement in operation of the first berth is expected to add annual handling capacity of 1 million TEU to YANTIAN. Upon full completion, YANTIAN East Port Phase 1 will provide annual capacity of 3 million TEU. ADVANCING REMOTE-CONTROLLED OPERATIONS Building on the aforementioned physical infrastructure upgrades, HPH Trust has further advanced remote-controlled operations as a core productivity and safety enabler, shifting critical crane workflows from on‑site cabins to controlled office environments. In Hong Kong, HIT progressed the conversion of RTGCs at Terminals 6 and 7 to remote-controlled operation, upgraded six units across four RTGC blocks which is expected to be operational in 2026. Beyond fleet expansion, HIT is exploring auto-landing functions for remote control RMGCs to handle containers with internal trucks, which could streamline future workflows by automating cargo discharge and loading. At YANTIAN, the remote control fleet continued to expand. In 2025, the fourth batch of 12 remote control RTGCs with six-container-high (1over-6) stacking configuration was delivered, bringing the total remote control fleet to 40 units. Moreover, 16 RTGCs were upgraded with 5G communications, enabling remote cross-block crane movements. On the quay side, seven QCs with remote control functions were ordered in 2025, including two purpose-built for barge operations.
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