The government rolled out the Port Community System (PCS) on Friday, a digital data-sharing platform for Hong Kong's port and logistics community system to link data involving commercial freight movements with that of financial and trade flows.

The platform digitalises processes such as cargo inspection and detention notifications, providing one-stop real-time cargo tracking across sea, land and air to speed up clearances.

A roll-out ceremony was officiated on Friday by Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan.

She said the system strengthened Hong Kong's status as an international maritime and logistics hub and that more than 2,300 companies had already signed up to join the system.

During the ceremony, the Transport and Logistics Bureau signed a tripartite memorandum of understanding with the Logistics and Supply Chain MultiTech R&D Centre and FUNDel, a local fintech startup, to explore trade finance innovation using logistics data from the system.

"Looking ahead, we will unlock even greater value of the PCS," Chan said.

"We will collaborate with the Customs and Excise Department to develop a dedicated model on the PCS platform."

Chan said the bureau would focus on developing trade-finance solutions through trusted PCS data and expanding offshore cargo tracking in order to connect Hong Kong's ports with global shipping networks.