Mable Chan confirms cross-border yacht travel sailing at full speed

With the city pushing to develop its yacht economy, the government has confirmed that the "Work Arrangement for Entry and Exit of Hong Kong Yachts into Guangdong" is actively progressing.

This came during the Legislative Council meeting on Wednesday, where Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan addressed lawmakers' inquiries over the development of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau individual yacht travel in the city.

Chan reported that a tripartite Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau individual yacht travel working group has been established.

She noted that exploration of measures for both northbound travel of yachts from Hong Kong and southbound travel of yachts from the mainland is underway, adding that details will be announced in due course once finalized.

Additionally, she pointed to the near-completion of the Electronic Business System enhancement next month, which will serve as a one-stop online platform for the Immigration Department to pre-screen crew and passenger information.

Chan also highlighted several facilitation measures set to launch in June, including relaxed requirements for visiting yachts, a Dynamic Yacht Monitoring System, as well as allowing visiting yachts to navigate and anchor in designated waters without having to reserve berths at privately-operated yacht clubs or piers.

She believes these measures will attract both overseas and Greater Bay Area yachts, bringing new opportunities to the city's yacht economy and related industries.

Addressing concerns about cluttered berthing in typhoon shelters and a lack of refueling and freshwater supplies, Chan highlighted the bureau's priority to strike a balance, noting that a comprehensive view will be taken when planning future anchorage areas.

In response to calls for a yacht industry blueprint, Chan stated that a cooperation mechanism with mainland authorities is already in place, stressing that facilitation measures will be reviewed and optimized continuously.

Regarding suggestions to explore new berthing areas in locations such as Tsuen Wan, Kwai Chung, and Sunny Bay, Chan said developing new water bodies requires consideration of surrounding transport accessibility and the usage of existing functional vessels.

As the global trend is to attract superyachts of 80 to 100 meters in length, she stated that the major consideration in selecting sites will be the quality of yachts and the economic benefits brought by high-end tourists.

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