Cooperation | Three berthing areas chosen for free-sailing yacht scheme

The government has chosen two wharfs located in Coloane and a maritime area near the Ocean Gardens to establish the berthing areas for free-sailing yachts journeying between Zhongshan city and Macau. Among these, the Maritime and Water Bureau will renovate the Coloane Village wharf (Ponte Cais De Coloane) for it to serve as an immigration checkpoint for yacht passengers.
The trial scheme for yachts to travel freely between Macau and Guangdong Province will be launched in the middle of this year. Maritime and Water Bureau director Susana Wong revealed yesterday that the three berthing areas, also including the Concordia Industrial Park pier in Coloane, will provide approximately 170 berths in total.
The bureau will gradually open these three berthing areas, starting from the maritime area at the Concordia Industrial Park pier, which will provide 50 berths. Wong said that the other two sites’ opening up will depend on the actual needs once the trial scheme has started implementation.
The future checkpoint at Ponte Cais De Coloane will receive passengers of free-sailing yachts. Passengers arriving at the other two berthing areas will be transported to the checkpoint by small boats. The government will conduct a public tendering process for launching such a service and other basic berthing services.
Meanwhile, the authorities plan to include the Macau Yacht Club and the Macau Fisherman’s Wharf into the trial scheme, in order to boost the local yachting industry. BY