The newly developed Huanggang Port has seen an average of over 86,000 people crossing the border daily on weekdays, more than a twofold increase compared with that of the Lok Ma Chau Control Point in the past, Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung said.
On weekends and holidays, the average daily total passenger traffic has reached nearly 140,000, he said.
“Despite the substantial increase in passenger traffic, the overall operation of the port has remained smooth and orderly, with clearance efficiency meeting expectations,” he said.
Passengers using the "collaborative inspection" automated channels wait for no more than five minutes most of the time, according to Tang.
During peak hours, the Immigration Department will open all automated channels and traditional counters ahead of time to manage the passenger flow, keeping the average waiting time for passengers to less than 15 minutes, he added.
He also explained that to assist passengers unfamiliar with the new clearance system, the Immigration Department deployed additional manpower have been deployed by the Immigration Department to assist.
Tang said that arrangements were already made for the passenger arrival and departure halls connecting to the Northern Link (NOL) Spur Line, which will connect directly to the Huanggang Port in future and will link up the metro networks of Hong Kong and Shenzhen with the co-location arrangement.
He also noted that the project's schedule has been brought forward by two years, meaning the NOL Spur Line is now on track to open concurrently with the NOL Main Line by 2034.
