Ferry passengers dissatisfied with communication during Typhoon Koinu

Several passengers reported difficulties accessing information about the suspension and resumption of ferry services between Macau, Hong Kong, and the mainland during Typhoon Koinu.

The passengers, interviewed by the public broadcaster TDM, reported having limited access to information from ferry operators, including outages, on the company website.

One of the passengers said that he found it very hard to communicate with the company even over the phone.

Ferry services were suspended during the passage of Typhoon Koinu last Sunday and Monday morning, with Macau raising Typhoon Signal No. 8 for 17 hours and 30 minutes.

In Hong Kong, Typhoon Signal No. 8 was raised four hours earlier, resulting in an almost day-long suspension of all maritime transport.

According to the Marine and Water Bureau, several ferry services in Macau were suspended even during Typhoon Signal No. 3. The last ferry from Shekou (Shenzhen) to Pac On (Taipa) departed at 7:30 p.m. on October 6, while the last ferry in the opposite direction took place at 9 p.m. that day.

Some ferry connections between Taipa and Sheung Wan (Hong Kong) were also canceled from Saturday, leaving several passengers stranded for almost two days and needing to seek alternative transportation. rm