LCQ2: Developing onshore power facilities at Kai Tak Cruise Terminal
********************************************************************
Question:
The Kai Tak Development Area has all along adhered to the concept of sustainable development. The Kai Tak Sports Park therein has received a green building award, while the Smart and Green Mass Transit System in Kai Tak will soon commence construction. However, there are views that the pace of taking forward the construction of onshore power facilities at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal (KTCT) has lagged behind. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) as some members of the industry have pointed out that with the persistent tightening of carbon emissions standards by the International Maritime Organization, the use of onshore power while berthing will become an inevitable trend and a mandatory requirement for international cruise ships to meet the emission-reduction requirements, whether the Government has compiled statistics on the number of cruise ships already equipped for the use of onshore power that have called at or planned to call at Hong Kong and have used Hong Kong as their homeport between 2024 and 2026;
(2) whether it has grasped the data on the development of onshore power at major cruise terminals in the Asia-Pacific region and the Mainland, including but not limited to the number of terminals already fully equipped with and using onshore power systems, the coverage rate of berths with onshore power facilities, and the years in which the relevant facilities were commissioned; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3) whether it has formulated measures for the expeditious installation of onshore power facilities at the KTCT to meet the future needs of the cruise industry, thereby avoiding declines in the desire of international cruise ships to call at Hong Kong due to the lack of onshore power facilities in Hong Kong; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
In respect of the question raised by the Hon Yiu Pak-leung, having consulted the Environment and Ecology Bureau and the Transport and Logistics Bureau, the reply is as follows:
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has set a reduction target, striving to reach net-zero carbon emissions from international shipping by or around 2050. The use of green energy is a major trend in the international shipping industry. Hong Kong, China, as an associate member of the IMO, has long been supporting its emission reduction target.
Installing onshore power supply facilities at cruise terminals allows cruise ships to connect to the onshore power grid while at berth, helping to reduce carbon emissions and fuel consumption from marine auxiliary engines, while also reducing local air pollutant emissions, in particular nitrogen oxides. The Kai Tak Cruise Terminal (KTCT) had reserved space for setting up onshore power supply facilities during its construction. In response to the trend of adopting onshore power in the international cruise industry in recent years, the Environment and Ecology Bureau, in collaboration with the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau (CSTB), has commissioned a consultancy to conduct a study on the installation of onshore power supply facilities at the KTCT. This includes reviewing the trend of developing onshore power supply facilities in major ports around the world, analysing the installation of onboard systems for onshore power connection and their use by cruise ships in various places, and studying the technical requirements and development costs for installing onshore power supply facilities at the KTCT. The Government is reviewing the study report submitted by the consultancy and considering whether onshore power supply facilities should be installed at the KTCT.
The use of onshore power is one of many feasible decarbonisation measures and is not a mandatory requirement of the IMO. Its decarbonisation effectiveness depends on fuel mix of local power generation. If the power source is mainly renewable or low-carbon energy, onshore power can effectively reduce overall carbon emissions; on the contrary, if the grid is dominated by high-carbon energy, the emission reduction effectiveness will be relatively limited. The international shipping industry is also actively exploring the use of green maritime fuels, such as liquefied natural gas, green methanol, green ammonia and hydrogen, to accommodate different routes and infrastructure conditions.
The reply to the various parts of the question is as follows:
(1) According to the cruise ship berthing records of the KTCT from 2024 to 2025 and the berthing schedule for 2026 (as of April), a total of 37 cruise ships belonging to different cruise lines have called or planned to call at the terminal, 286 ship calls in total over the 3 years; the Government's survey showed that 33 of these cruise ships, about 89 per cent are equipped with the conditions to use onshore power.
(2) According to data published by the Cruise Lines International Association, as of October 2025, a total of 38 ports worldwide that accommodate cruise ships are equipped with onshore power supply facilities for cruise ship use while at berth, accounting for about 3 per cent of the world's cruise ports, while another 20 ports secured funding to develop onshore power supply facilities, and 30 ports were planning to implement onshore power. The development of onshore power is concentrated in the United States, the European Union and China. Some major cruise terminals in the Chinese Mainland, such as Tianjin, Xiamen, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, are equipped with onshore power.
(3) Whether international cruise ships choose to visit Hong Kong hinges on comprehensive considerations involving multiple factors, including the attractiveness of the entire region and itineraries, the uniqueness of onshore excursions, visitors' experience, transport connectivity with other places, such as aviation and railway, as well as cost-effectiveness. As for the compliance with emission reduction, as mentioned above, the use of onshore power is only one of the feasible options. Even if onshore power is available, the choice of cruise lines to use onshore power or other green maritime fuels involves various factors, including cost-effectiveness, technical compatibility, and berthing time. Given the Government's policy direction on encouraging the use of green maritime fuels by ocean-going vessels, we will take into account cost-effectiveness when considering whether onshore power supply facilities should be installed at the KTCT, so as to provide cruise ships with an additional option for emission reduction when calling at Hong Kong.
In fact, Hong Kong's cruise tourism is sustaining momentum, with 189 ship calls in 2025, representing a year-on-year increase of 26 per cent, covering 22 different international cruise brands, and the cruise passenger throughput in Hong Kong was 631 000, representing a year-on-year increase of 22 per cent.
The CSTB and the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) have been taking a multi-pronged approach to attract more international cruise ships to deploy to Hong Kong. Specific measures include the Government having earmarked in the 2023-24 Budget funding for the HKTB for four financial years to attract more cruise ships to Hong Kong. In addition, the Government reserved in the 2025-26 Budget new funding of $46 million to continue to provide support to the cruise industry until 2028-29, with priorities on encouraging cruise lines to increase their number of ship calls to Hong Kong, make overnight calls and use Hong Kong as the homeport; and provide cruise lines making ship calls at the KTCT during the summer low season with concessions on the cruise ships' dockage fees and passenger fees from 2025/26 to 2027/28, with a view to attracting more cruise ships to berth at the KTCT during the summer low season.
In addition, the HKTB is actively participating in regional and global cruise industry events to raise Hong Kong's profile as a cruise tourism destination; strengthening strategic partnerships with global cruise lines and encouraging them to prioritise the inclusion of Hong Kong as a port of call in their Asian itineraries; and advancing collaboration to foster co-ordinated itinerary planning and joint promotion, strengthening regional co-operation. The CSTB, in collaboration with the HKTB, is also promoting and developing diversified and distinctive onshore excursions to showcase Hong Kong's unique culture and enhance Hong Kong's in-destination experience of cruise tourists.
Thank you, President.
Ends/Wednesday, May 13, 2026
Issued at HKT 13:00
Issued at HKT 13:00
NNNN