Also known as Hongkong Salvage & Towage ("HKST"), the modern day HUD MARINE was created in 1973 when Hongkong & Whampoa Dock Company, then owner of HKST, merged with Taikoo Dockyard & Engineering to form Hong Kong's largest marine engineering company. The origins of HKST date back to 1935 when it operated in Shanghai as Shanghai Towage Company before moving to Hong Kong in the 1950's.

Today, HUD MARINE designs, owns and operates Asia's leading tug fleet and is the only Hong Kong based member of the International Salvage Union. The fleet is Hong Kong's largest with 15 vessels totaling 55,200 BHP at an average age of only 7 years, one of the youngest tug fleets in the world. Most vessels are constructed to meet UK, Hong Kong, and Australian specifications and regulations and all are classed either with Lloyd's Register or Bureau Veritas.