Beijing allows Hong Kong yachts to berth more easily in some mainland ports

Hong Kong-registered yachts can berth more easily in designated mainland Chinese ports in the Greater Bay Area, as Beijing has waived customs guarantees and simplified administrative procedures, paving the way for more seamless leisure vessel travel within the region. In a directive published on Saturday night that confirmed earlier reporting by the South China Morning Post, China’s State Council revamped its maritime policies, allowing Hong Kong and Macau leisure yachts to enter designated mainland ports “exempt from customs guarantees” and benefit from “a temporary vessel nationality registration policy” with immediate effect. This applies to yachts temporarily entering and leaving through designated ports in nine mainland cities – Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Huizhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen and Zhaoqing – provided the yachts remain within the jurisdiction of those cities. However, the directive did not stipulate the specific locations of the ports. The breakthrough paved the way for more seamless yacht travel within the bay area and was seen as a milestone towards easier southbound travel by mainland vessels amid the Hong Kong government’s efforts to develop a yacht economy. The policy came after the Guangdong Maritime Safety Administration proposed in April last year a dual-registration management model that could allow Hong Kong or Macau yachts to obtain a mainland temporary vessel nationality certificate without cancelling their existing registration. By doing so, the yacht could be treated as a mainland vessel while sailing within the nine cities without the owner having to re-register the boat. The temporary certificate is valid for up to a year, allowing yachts to enter the mainland multiple times, as long as each visit is less than 180 consecutive days. The total duration of stays on the mainland cannot exceed 180 days in a calendar year either. Guangdong maritime authorities initially suggested six entry ports, including the Guangzhou Nansha passenger terminal and the Shenzhen Shekou cruise homeport, to implement the model. After an initial meeting in April last year, Hong Kong’s Marine Department and the Guangdong Maritime Safety Administration held multiple meetings to negotiate arrangements allowing Hong Kong yachts to sail northbound into mainland waters. They covered vessel safety requirements, applicant and captain qualifications, and system arrangements. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan told the Legislative Council on Wednesday that the Marine Department would launch several measures in June, including relaxing requirements and developing a dynamic yacht monitoring system for visiting yachts to sail and anchor in designated areas without pre-booking a berth at a private marina. The measures would also upgrade authorities’ e-services system to allow advance submission of crew and passenger data for pre-clearance by the Immigration Department.