Interim Report 2023

21 INTERIM REPORT 2023 In 2023, the recovery on global economy and trade still face risks such as deflation, geopolitical conflicts, international trade friction, supply chain disruption, etc. The integration of ports worldwide and the inland logistics accelerates, while the construction of automated port is still in the ascendant. With the environmental protection and low carbon requirements on ports become more and more strict, both development opportunities and challenges coexist, and higher requirement is called for the establishment of world leading ports. The Group will persistently uphold the principle of maintaining stability, making progress while maintaining stability. Driven by the dual-wheel model of “endogenous growth” and “innovation and upgrade”, with its work centered on the top priority of high quality development, the Group will focus on green, smart and safety development, make efforts on promoting cost reduction and efficiency enhancement, and spare no effort on implementing every development measures in order to make stable progress on becoming a “world’s leading comprehensive port service provider with high quality”. INTERIM DIVIDEND AND SCRIP DIVIDEND SCHEME In order to reward investors’ continuous support of the Group, the Board resolved to declare an interim dividend of 22 HK cents per share, totalling HK$909 million for the six months ended 30 June 2023 by way of an issue of new shares with an alternative to the shareholders to elect to receive the interim dividend (or part thereof) in cash in lieu of such allotment (2022: scrip dividend of 22 HK cents per share by way of issue of new shares equivalent with cash alternative), payable on or around 22 November 2023 to shareholders whose names appear on the register of members of the Company (the “ Register of Members ”) on 4 October 2023 (the “ Scrip Dividend Scheme ”). A circular containing details of the Scrip Dividend Scheme together with the relevant election form will be sent to shareholders on or around 9 October 2023. The Scrip Dividend Scheme is conditional upon the granting by the Listing Committee of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (“ HKSE ”) of the listing of, and permission to deal in, the new shares to be issued pursuant thereto. It is expected that the interim dividend warrants and certificates for the new shares will be despatched to shareholders on or around 22 November 2023. CLOSURE OF REGISTER The Register of Members will be closed from 28 September 2023 to 4 October 2023 (both days inclusive), during which no transfer of shares of the Company will be registered. In order to qualify for the interim dividend, all transfers and the relevant share certificates must be lodged with the Company’s Share Registrar, Computershare Hong Kong Investor Services Limited, at Shops 1712-1716, 17th Floor, Hopewell Centre, 183 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, not later than 4:30 p.m. on 27 September 2023.