Yacht free travel scheme hinges on Guangdong green light

Macau has long promoted yacht free travel with mainland China’s nine Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area cities as part of its economic diversification push, with the Marine and Water Bureau (DSAMA) confirming yesterday that an online pre-booking system is already operational and berths and customs systems are ready –  pending final approval of a temporary nationality certificate proposed by Guangdong.

The Legislative Assembly (AL) continued its discussion on maritime use management yesterday, with government representative Susana Wong, director of the Marine and Water Bureau (DSAMA), announcing six current projects involving temporary maritime use.

Responding to legislators’ concerns over the long-delayed yacht free travel initiative, Wong said the project has been under consideration for some time. Notably, last year, Guangdong proposed a solution: a “temporary certificate of nationality” for Macau yachts entering the mainland, aimed at resolving the issue of vessels being treated as imported goods and requiring hefty security deposits.

The proposal has been submitted for interdepartmental consultation, and authorities are awaiting word on formal implementation. If approved, the measure would facilitate yacht traffic across the Greater Bay Area, including Macau, Hong Kong, and Guangdong.

According to the bureau, even without the certificate, Macau has already launched an online pre-booking platform. Out-of-town yachts, currently mainly from Hong Kong, can notify authorities 48 hours in advance via yacht club websites, triggering a system that alerts customs and inspection departments to assist with clearance. The process, Wong said, is already quite convenient, and Guangdong yachts will eventually be able to use the same system.

Wong added that Macau has sufficient yacht berths. Apart from Lam Mau Tong, the Coloane Pier alone offers over 100 berths, which remain underutilized.

“Both the physical infrastructure and the customs clearance software systems are ready,” she said. “Once the temporary nationality certificate scheme is implemented, it will remove the final hurdle for yachts from Hong Kong and Macau to enter the mainland.”