The first batch of five yachts from Guangdong province arrived in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region under a new cross-boundary scheme launched on Friday, as the city actively positions itself as a premier yachting hub in Asia and boosts its marine economy.
The new southbound scheme is a major step forward for cross-boundary individual yacht travel in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, after Hong Kong yachts made their first voyage under the northbound arrangements in June.
Under the new scheme, Guangdong yachts no longer have to secure a berth at a private yacht club or marina before entering Hong Kong, and can instead use five designated anchorage areas.
Echoing the fast-growing global yachting market, Hong Kong is planning to vigorously develop related industries and promote the city”s yacht economy, according to Michael Wong Wai-lun, acting financial secretary of the Hong Kong SAR.
He estimated that the global premier yacht industry is expected to reach HK$350 billion ($44.6 billion) by 2032, and Hong Kong is capable of claiming a share in the booming market.
“Whether it is northbound travel of yachts from Hong Kong or southbound travel for yachts from the Chinese mainland, the core of these schemes is mutually beneficial. We believe the individual yacht travel will offer residents and visitors a brand-new maritime route,” said Wong at a ceremony welcoming the arrival of the first batch of yachts under the new scheme on Friday.
In addition, the establishment of four new yacht clubs located at the international airport, Lamma Island, Aberdeen and Hung Hom is moving ahead. These will provide over 1,100 new berths — representing an increase of approximately 30 percent over the existing total capacity — according to Wong.
Wong Sai-fat, director of the marine department of the SAR government, said the five designated anchorage areas could accommodate about 115 yachts each 40 metres in length, enough to avoid the need for a quota. About 270 mainland yacht captains had also completed the required training and examinations to familiarize themselves with Hong Kong waters, he added.
Michael Sze, co-founder of yacht services company Air Yacht, said yacht owners from the mainland coastal cities of Shenzhen in Guangdong, Xiamen in Fujian, Sanya and Haikou in Hainan province had already sought help arranging voyages to Hong Kong ahead of the southbound launch.
The easing of cross-boundary yacht travel comes as Hong Kong steps up efforts to develop its yacht economy, identified as a key sector for development in both the city’s first Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development and the 2026 Policy Address.
