Update on supplies from Mainland
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A spokesperson for the THB said that the "Sea Express" water transportation service from the Mainland to Hong Kong has been fully launched and its capacity is rising to increase the supplies of fresh food, other daily necessities and manufacturing materials.
Currently, there are three water transportation routes between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, respectively (1) from Shenzhen Yantian International Container Terminals to Hong Kong Kwai Tsing Container Terminals (KTCT); (2) from Shenzhen DaChan Bay Terminals to KTCT; and (3) from China Merchants Port (South China) Management Center (Shenzhen Mawan, Shekou and Chiwan Container Terminals) to Hong Kong River Trade Terminal, etc. Together with the water transportation routes from other cities in Guangdong Province, including the routes from Guangzhou Lianhuashan Port, Zhongshan Huangpu Port and Zhuhai Doumen Port to Hong Kong Tuen Mun Chu Kong Pier, the water transport capacity amounts to tens of thousands of tonnes daily.
The spokesperson said today (March 22) that around 2 810 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of supplies were transported to Hong Kong from Shenzhen yesterday (March 21), equivalent to about 24 750 tonnes of goods, among which around 20 TEUs (about 180 tonnes) were fresh food and around 2 790 TEUs (about 24 570 tonnes) were non-fresh food, according to information from the Mainland authorities.
Since the launch of services from the three ports in Shenzhen since February 18 to yesterday, a total of around 45 430 TEUs of supplies have been shipped to Hong Kong, equivalent to about 320 950 tonnes of goods, among which around 860 TEUs (about 7 810 tonnes) were fresh food and around 44 570 TEUs (about 313 140 tonnes) were non-fresh food.
As for rail cargo, mainly anti-epidemic supplies are being transported at the moment. Fourteen TEUs with a total of 34 tonnes of goods were transported to Hong Kong yesterday. Since its launch on March 2 and up to yesterday, more than 1 090 tonnes of goods including anti-epidemic supplies such as COVID-19 rapid antigen test (RAT) kits and protective gowns were transported to Hong Kong.
To further ensure a stable goods supply to Hong Kong through land transport, the THB conducted a trial run of cargo transfer at a yard situated on Kam Pok Road, San Tin, Yuen Long, yesterday and it was completed smoothly. The THB will continue to work with the Mainland authorities to fully take forward cargo transfer arrangements on the Hong Kong side. It is a contingency measure in response to the latest epidemic situation in the city so as to reduce the risk of epidemic transmission in both the Mainland and Hong Kong, ensuring both a smooth cross-boundary land transport and a stable goods supply to Hong Kong.
On the other hand, to avoid a spillover of the epidemic, the Transport Department has arranged dedicated staff to conduct RATs for cross-boundary goods vehicle drivers at various land boundary control points (BCPs) from February 28 onward. Only drivers with a negative result are allowed to enter the Mainland. In order to further improve the accuracy of the tests, the RATs conducted at the BCPs have gradually been replaced with rapid nucleic acid tests starting from March 20.
The THB will closely monitor the situation and co-operate with the Mainland authorities to facilitate and implement various measures to ensure a stable goods supply to Hong Kong, with a view to complementing the supply through land, water and railway transport, enhancing the capacity and efficiency as well as optimising the flow of cross-boundary supplies.
Ends/Tuesday, March 22, 2022
Issued at HKT 18:00
Issued at HKT 18:00
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