The Wanzai Port will officially reopen on January 23 with an hourly immigration capacity of 3,840 crossings, the local government announced yesterday during a press conference.
The arrival hall on Macau’s side will consist of six e-crossing channels and two manual channels. Another three back-up manual channels will be available inside a visa office. In total, these channels are expected to register 1,710 crossings on an hourly basis.
At the departure hall, there will be seven e-channels and two manual channels, and another three back-up manual channels. These channels can cope with 2,130 crossings per hour.
Combining the departure and arrival halls, the immigration checkpoints can handle 3,840 crossings every hour.
The new port will be open for 15 hours per day from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., meaning that, on a daily basis, the port can absorb approximately 50,000 crossings, or a maximum of about 18.25 million crossings per year.
In 2016, the Wanzai Port closed in order to undergo a general upgrading of its facilities. They year before, the port had recorded a total of 741,900 crossings.
To transport passengers between Macau and Zhuhai, the mainland ferry company Yuet Tung will arrange one ferry every 15 minutes, amounting to four ferries every hour. Each ferry can take a maximum of 280 passengers. In total, the four ferries will have a capacity of 1,120 passengers, approximately 300 fewer than the maximum capacity of the immigration checkpoints. In total, there will be 110 ferries running during the opening hours.
The number of ferries is threefold that of the ferries operating before the port was closed.
Lao Wan Seong, Deputy Director of the Public Security Police Force (PSP) claimed that the police authority will work with other government departments to handle any unexpected situations.
Residents of Macau and Zhuhai will enjoy a discounted ferry fare. Traveling from Macau to Zhuhai, residents of these two cities will pay 20 patacas for a single trip or 30 patacas for a round trip. From Zhuhai to Macau, fares for a single and a round trip will be 15 and 25 yuan, respectively.
To ensure the security at the premises of Wanzai Port, the PSP will dispatch two vessels to carry out 24-hour inspections at the water area.
Also to cope with the possible growth of passengers in the area, the Transport Bureau (DSAT) will make changes to the bus areas and tourism bus areas.
To coordinate with the reopening of the immigration facility and to improve the pedestrian environment, the PSP, the water and marine authority, the customs authority, the municipal affairs authority, the DSAT and electricity provider CEM will carry out a road plan, resurface roads, and update traffic signs and lighting facilities in the surrounding area. The PSP will also enhance inspections to maintain public safety and traffic order around the port.
Hengqin border gate to open in first quarter
The local government has confirmed that the Hengqin border gate will reopen in the first quarter of 2020. During yesterday’s press conference, the local government reported on the updates to the Hengqin border gate.
Currently, the local government is carrying out legislation and testing works for the new border gate, which links Macau’s Lotus Flower Bridge Checkpoint to mainland territory.
In total, the future Hengqin border gate will have 24 e-checkpoints, four channels combining e-checkpoints and manual checkpoints and six manual checkpoints staffed by immigration officials.
The immigration checkpoints will adopt the same methods as the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, meaning that immigration checkpoints of both Zhuhai and Macau will be put together, but not merged.
The new mode of clearance is officially called the Joint Boundary Control System. There will be a seamless connection between Macau’s immigration checkpoints and Zhuhai’s immigration checkpoints.
Currently, the public on the Macau side must first cross the border gate at the Cotai frontier and then take a bus to the Zhuhai side.
Once the new Hengqin border gate is open, users on the Macau side will need to first be transported to the Hengqin side to cross the border into Zhuhai.
During the first phase, the local government will allow specific public buses, double-plated cars, approved Macau single-plated cars, business cars, Hengqin border gate shuttle buses and likely some tourism buses to drive between the Macau port at the new border facility and Cotai. During yesterday’s press conference, the local government did not reveal the length of the first phase.
By 2030, the Hengqin border gate is expected to handle 220,000 crossings on a daily basis.
New appointments to study urban renewal legal matters
Secretary for Administration and Justice André Cheong Weng Chon has appointed three consultants from the land, public works and transport sectors to assist with urban renewal legal matters.
Yesterday, during the press conference regarding the new borders’ arrangement, Cheong was asked about the appointment of his consultants.
In total, Cheong’s office has 12 consultants, including Wong Chan Tong, former Director of the office for the Secretariat for Land, Public Works and Transport, and former department heads at the Land, Public Works and Transport Bureau (DSSOPT) Lao Iong and Chan Weng Hei.
Cheong explained that the appointment of these three new members is in consideration of upcoming urban renewal works.
In Cheong’s opinion, these individuals are experienced in urban renewal matters, with Cheong’s own job being more related to municipal matters. With the involvement of these experienced officials, Cheong hopes that communication will be enhanced between the municipal and public works bodies of the Macau SAR. JZ
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