New ferry terminal retail spaces granted to CSI Group

Cheang Chi Kam (left) pictured during the new terminal opening ceremony

The CSI Group Limited has signed a contract with the Marine and Water Bureau (DSAMA) for the concession of operation and management of the commercial areas at the Taipa Maritime Terminal (TMPT).

The concession starts from July 1 this year and will last for three years.

The DSAMA issued a statement yesterday indicating that the company has the duty to provide services to citizens and tourists “as quickly as possible.”

The signing of this agreement yesterday includes the placing of vending machines for food/beverages/products, as well as the installation of travel agency counters, hotel reception counters, money exchange offices and bakeries.

Restaurants and duty-free shops will enter into operation  gradually at a later stage.

In the statement, DSAMA tries to explain the delay in the process of opening the restaurants and shops in the new ferry terminal. The bureau stated that it received responsibilities over the TMPT in July last year. One month later it initiated the public tenders for the provision of services such as cleaning, security and maintenance. Many of those services have already been allocated.

Regarding the shops and restaurants, DSAMA stated that, given the fact that the concession is granted in an exclusivity regime and due to one of the competitors withdrawing, “the process took a longer time.”

This week the region suffered the influence of the Tropical Storm Merbok and several users of the Ferry Terminal, as heard by TDM, complained that due to the suspension of the ferry services they were stranded, in some cases for periods of over 10 hours, without access to any kind of support services such as restaurants and convenience stores.

The CSI group background

According to the commercial registry documents consulted by the Times yesterday, the CSI Group Limited have been active since May 2003. The company is owned by Cheang Chi Kam and opened with MOP25,000 capital to conduct business related activities for the real estate and import-export industries. In December 2016, the company changed it’s profile, adding retail to its operations. Speaking to Macao Daily News in May, Cheang said that the CSI Group is “confident that the Taipa Ferry Terminal will be a large-scale, international, top-of-the-line” venue. Before the contract was formalized, Cheang also said that the group intended to introduce high quality brands and services to provide quality service at the terminal.