The shipping company operating at the Inner Harbor Ferry Terminal has informed its clients that all routes from the ferry to Zhuhai’s Wanzai Port will cease following the closure of the ferry service.
The local ferry terminal, which reportedly served an average of 2,000 people per day, has been closed since Sunday. After being questioned by the Times, the shipping company staff members admitted that they were unsure as to when they will resume operations.
According to official information, there were 14 daily ferries departing to Wanzai between 8 a.m. and 4:15 p.m., with departures to Macau beginning at 8:15 a.m. and ending at 4.30 p.m. The ships departed at almost approximately half-hourly intervals.
A woman from Zhuhai, working as a trade businesswoman in the area, told the Times that many tourists used to arrive in Macau via the link. “I personally use the Cais De Sampanas Sul because my passport allows me to enter Macau through this one. Local people from Macau seldom pass through
here,” she said.
Cais De Sampanas Sul is a ferry station located in the same area, and is usually used by fishermen who travel between Wanzai
and Macau.
Several shops and restaurants have expressed little concern about the closure of the ferry.
When questioned whether his business had been affected by the decrease in the number of visitors, Mr Wang joked, “It was never a good business: not in the past, when there were tourists coming out from that building; not now; nor in the future. But I did see more people. That’s it.“ Mr Wang added that he always goes to Zhuhai through the border gate because there is nothing for him to do in Wanzai.
Notwithstanding, a few travelers staying near Praça de Ponte e Horta were surprised by the fact that a pier exists next to them.
Although most interviewees acknowledged they haven’t gone to Wanzai from the ferry terminal, one passerby still recalled: “My relatives sometimes went to that side for seafood restaurants. They have seafood restaurants over there. We would
only go there on Sunday, not often though.“
The shipping company is sure that the disruptions will impact the business, and they are currently negotiating with the authorities to mitigate the effects of these plans. A counselor requested that the government come up with further plans to help the traders that will be influenced from the Wanzai Port shutdown. Staff reporter
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