Hong Kong has prepared five berthing areas for yachts travelling south from Guangdong, and the arrangement could begin as early as this month, Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said.
The Marine Department has established a real-time yacht movement monitoring system and an electronic allocation system to track use of the five berthing areas and assign available space flexibly.
Under the arrangement, visiting yachts may drop passengers at public piers or other landing facilities before returning to designated berthing areas for supplies and vessel repairs. That gives operators a route into Hong Kong without requiring a privately secured yacht-club berth in advance.
The plan follows Hong Kong's first northbound voyage in June. Hong Kong yachts can now berth and sail at ports in nine cities across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, while mutual recognition of yacht-driving licences has been implemented between Hong Kong and Guangdong. Nearly 300 mainland yacht drivers have obtained qualification to navigate Hong Kong waters, Chan said.
Legislator Steven Ho Chun-yin said Hong Kong's charging facilities were insufficient and could make the city less attractive for yacht tourism.
Chan agreed that the extent of charging provision and whether it was feasible needed to be examined. She said extending charging facilities across Hong Kong could take time and require planning.