Guangdong yachts to sail into Hong Kong from Friday under southbound scheme

Guangdong-registered yachts will be allowed to sail into Hong Kong waters from next Friday under a new travel scheme, the city’s transport minister has confirmed.

Writing in her weekly blog on Saturday, Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said the maiden voyage ceremony for the Southbound Yacht Travel Scheme would be held on launch day.

“Building on the groundwork laid by the Northbound Yacht Travel Scheme, the maiden voyage ceremony for the Southbound Yacht Travel Scheme marks a two-way journey of maritime connectivity,” she said.

Chan made the announcement after the Marine Department and the Guangdong Maritime Safety Administration signed work arrangements last month to establish a framework for cross-boundary yacht travel between the two places.

The move is in line with the government’s goal of developing Hong Kong’s yacht economy, as set out in the city’s first five-year plan and the latest policy address, both unveiled last month.

Beijing approved the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Individual Yacht Scheme in June, allowing Hong Kong yacht owners to sail to designated ports under a broader strategy to develop the “yacht economy” in the Greater Bay Area.

Authorities have also introduced arrangements covering the certification, training and examination of mainland Chinese yacht masters seeking to navigate Hong Kong waters. Chan previously said about 300 mainland yacht masters had obtained the required qualifications.

Under the southbound scheme, mainland vessels will berth in designated areas monitored through a dynamic, real-time system that allows authorities to manage berth traffic.

Meanwhile, ahead of the eighth anniversary of the opening of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, Chan said traffic on the mega bridge had continued to rise, particularly during the National Day “golden week” holiday.

She said passenger flow through the bridge exceeded 670,000 between October 1 and 7, while two-way vehicular traffic reached more than 170,000 trips.

Chan also said the booking requirement for Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles – which allows Hong Kong cars to drive to Guangdong – had been removed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays since September last year.

“The government is in discussions with the Guangdong provincial government to extend the booking-free arrangement to other non-peak weekdays,” she said.