Heritage | Lai Chi Vun shipyards sealed off for safety reasons

As of yesterday, a number of the old shipyards in Lai Chi Vun, Coloane, have begun to be sealed off from public access, the Marine and Water Bureau (DSAMA) reported in a statement.
The action was the result of a joint operation of the DSAMA and the Land, Public Works and Transport Bureau aimed to “ensure the safety of residents and visitors.” The deteriorating state of some of the shipyards presents a “serious risk to public safety” especially in light of the approaching typhoon season.
The old shipyards have been reportedly causing a number of issues for some time, with the fall of several objects and a collapsed ceiling damaging of some of the wood pillars of the dockyard.
Renovations of the Lai Chi Vun site have been proposed on several occasions. This month, authorities re-possessed ownership of three properties in the area. The Cultural Affairs Bureau president, Ung Vai Meng, is said to have plans to use the buildings to showcase the role of the shipyards in developing Macau into a tourist attraction.
The Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Alexis Tam, stated that Lai Chi Vun’s revamp could be finished “within one to two years.”