Such a move could cater to rising demand from luxury yachts, they say, as ferry terminals record 6.5 per cent drop in passenger numbers in 2025
Lawmakers have urged transport authorities to merge Hong Kong’s two cross-boundary ferry piers to optimise capacity and cater to the rising demand from luxury yachts, amid growing alternative transport options for travelling to mainland China.
Their comments came on Thursday after the China Ferry Terminal and the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal recorded a year-on-year drop of 6.5 per cent to 7.74 million passengers in 2025, with the transport secretary stressing that “prudent examination” was needed regarding any integration or restructuring.
Lawmaker for the transport constituency Lothair Lam Ming-fung said the drop in numbers could be largely attributed to the different ways in which Hong Kong residents could travel to the mainland, including the high-speed rail, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge and the city’s other land border crossings.
“The government said the manpower deployment at cross-border facilities would not be lowered as a result of reduced passengers. I think from the government’s perspective, that’s not entirely appropriate. It’s wasting public resources,” he said on a radio programme on Thursday.
Lam suggested merging the two piers and consolidating all routes to the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal in Sheung Wan to free up the China Ferry Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui for other uses.
“I suggest it could host small and medium-sized passenger ships or ocean-going superyachts. The China Ferry Terminal has existing immigration and customs facilities and would be able to welcome these visitors to Hong Kong,” he added.
They could access the city centre, shopping district and tourist area upon disembarkation, according to Lam, as the terminal had the capacity to host 200-tonne to 300-tonne superyachts and small to medium cruise ships.
Source: News - South China Morning Post
