Chan Meng Kam wants Macau to replace sea port with Gaolan facility

Former lawmaker Chan Meng Kam has presented a proposal to grant Macau the right to lease the Gaolan Port in Zhuhai as a temporary facility, establishing in it a free port zone for Macau in Zhuhai, Chinese media outlet Macao Daily News has reported.

Chan is a member of the Macau Executive Council, and a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

Chan’s proposal would have an impact on the current use of Macau Port located at Ka Ho, since it aims to stop operations at the port, and instead move all activities to the Zhuhai Gaolan Port Economic Zone.

According to the proposal, the operation of the port, under Macau jurisdiction, would operate similarly to the current model, also allowing the University of Macau to operate its campus at Henqin as an autonomous area.

The idea, if it moves forward, would transform the Gaolan Port into a free port zone with very low or no customs fees for some products, a model that Chan would like to see also extended to the Guangdong-Macau In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin.

The Gaolan Port is located at Gaolan Island, in the Jinwan district of Zhuhai Southwest of Macau at a distance of just 11 nautical miles (20.4 km) from Macau and 45 nautical miles (83.3 km) from Hong Kong. The southernmost berth is only 1 nautical mile away from a major international shipping lane.

According to data made available by the Zhuhai authorities, the import-export value of Gaolan Port has reached RMB17.72 billion (MOP20.67 billion) in the first quarter of 2021, an increase of 43.7% from the same period in 2020 and 9.2% from 2019.

It is seen as a main piece of the project of transforming Zhuhai into a comprehensive transport hub on the west bank of the Pearl River Delta.