Five Guangdong yachts to make first entry into HK under new southbound scheme
Five Guangdong-registered yachts will become the first to enter Hong Kong waters on Friday under the new southbound yacht scheme, the Marine Department said. Director of Marine Wong Sai-fat outlined monitoring, anchorage and berthing arrangements, and dismissed concerns about the impact on Chinese w
Five Guangdong-registered yachts are set to become the first to enter Hong Kong waters under the new southbound yacht scheme on Friday, marking a significant step in opening the city to yacht owners from the Greater Bay Area, the Marine Department said.
Speaking on a radio programme on Thursday, Director of Marine Wong Sai-fat said the five yachts had been successfully registered through the department's Electronic Business System. He added that 23 operators had registered via the system and nearly 300 mainland captains had passed the required assessment.
The scheme requires applicants to specify their anchorage. Yacht movements will be monitored by a dynamic tracking system, which ensures safety by alerting vessels that stray into restricted areas or whose automatic identification systems fail. Enhanced patrols and enforcement will be carried out at the five designated anchorages: Stanley, Tai Tam, Repulse Bay, Three Fathoms Cove in Sai Kung and Tai O.
Wong said there is enough berthing space for the expected arrivals and no need to limit daily visits. If an anchorage is full, visiting yachts will be directed to alternative sites. The current anchorage areas are expected to accommodate about 115 yachts of up to 40 metres in length.
While Hong Kong's total yacht berths number around 4,000, well below the city's more than 10,000 yachts, Wong noted that not all need berthing at once. Plans are underway for additional berths in Hung Hom, Lamma Island and near the airport.
Although the five anchorages lack water and electricity, visiting yachts will be able to use the city's seven water-selling kiosks and eight designated fuel stations. Marine service providers and local vessels can also supply provisions. The department will distribute leaflets and post details online for visiting yachts.
Responding to concerns over the scheme's effect on Chinese white dolphin habitats, Wong noted the area already had plenty of vessel activity, believing the scheme's ecological and traffic impact would be low. Stressing that local and visiting yachts would be treated alike, the marine chief said any breaches of the law would draw enforcement action.