LCQ14: Operation of new Huanggang Port
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Question:
The commissioning of the new Huanggang Port (the new Port) is a practical step for Hong Kong to take to proactively align itself with the national development strategy and participate more deeply in the development of the Greater Bay Area, which will facilitate a more efficient flow of people, goods, capital and information between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, thereby further promoting the in-depth integration of the Greater Bay Area. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) as it has been reported that during the first few weeks of operation of the new Port, some travellers experienced minor clearance delays when using automated channels and "face scan" clearance, of the specific hardware-related measures subsequently taken by the authorities in response;
(2) some members of the public have relayed that as tour coaches of tour groups are unable to drive directly to the new Port, travellers are required to interchange for franchised buses or cross-boundary buses, whether the authorities have assessed the impact of such arrangements on the tourism industry, and studied ways to optimise transport connections for tour group travellers;
(3) given that the new Port (Hong Kong Port Area) is a closed area where no pick-up/drop-off area for private cars is provided, nor is a pick-up/drop-off area for ride-hailing vehicles other than those of "taxi fleets" provided, whether land within the new Port area has been reserved for the future provision of a pick-up/drop-off area for ride-hailing vehicles, and of the reasons why the authorities did not include such facilities during the initial planning stage; and
(4) whether the authorities will expedite the planning and construction work for connecting the MTR Northern Link Spur Line to the new Huanggang Port, with a view to enhancing the Port's railway connectivity; if so, of the specific measures?
Reply:
President,
The National 15th Five-Year Plan proposes consolidating and enhancing the role of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area as a powerhouse for high-quality development, as well as strengthening regional infrastructure connectivity. Meanwhile, First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2026-2030), announced by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in September this year, explicitly sets out to leverage the strengths of the redeveloped Huanggang Port.
As a key project of the HKSAR Government in proactively aligning with national development strategies and actively integrating into and serving the overall national development, the redeveloped Huanggang Port officially opened at 6.30am on October 12, 2026. Implementing the co-location arrangement, the port is the first land boundary control point between Hong Kong and Shenzhen adopting the "collaborative inspection and joint clearance" mode, providing 24-hour clearance services for passengers and passenger vehicles. The official opening of the Huanggang Port signifies a major milestone achieved by Hong Kong and Shenzhen in enhancing the layout of boundary control points, improving clearance efficiency, and facilitating the cross-boundary flow of people. Since the new port opened nearly a month ago, its overall operation has been generally smooth and it has been well received by members of the public and visitors.
In consultation with the Transport and Logistics Bureau, the reply to various parts of the question raised by the Hon Erik Yim is as follows:
(1) The Huanggang Port is equipped with a total of 134 "collaborative inspection" automated channels and 68 traditional manual counters. When using the "collaborative inspection" automated channels for clearance, passengers only need to queue up once, present their travel documents once and have their identities verified once to complete the immigration clearance procedures of both places, substantially enhancing the clearance experience and efficiency. Since the opening of the port, the average daily total passenger traffic on weekdays has exceeded 86 000, representing more than a double increase as compared with that of the Lok Ma Chau Control Point in the past; whereas the average daily total passenger traffic during weekends and holidays has even reached nearly 140 000.
Despite the substantial increase in passenger traffic, the overall operation of the port has remained smooth and orderly, with clearance efficiency meeting expectations. Passengers using the "collaborative inspection" automated channels wait for no more than five minutes for most of the time. During peak hours, the Immigration Department (ImmD) opens all automated channels and traditional counters ahead of time to manage the passenger flow, keeping the average waiting time for passengers to less than 15 minutes.
Since the opening of the port, the ImmD has been closely monitoring the new automated clearance system and gate hardware in collaboration with the Shenzhen authorities, and all systems and equipment have been operating smoothly and effectively. Each "collaborative inspection" automated channel is equipped with three gates. Taking outbound passengers departing from Hong Kong for the Mainland as an example, passengers enter the automated channel after having their travel documents read or undergoing facial recognition (face scan) at the first gate; they then undergo fingerprint and facial verification before the second gate, and upon passing through the second gate, their Hong Kong departure clearance is completed; subsequently, before the third gate (which falls within the jurisdiction of the Mainland immigration inspection authorities), after the Mainland authorities conduct identity verification and complete the arrival inspection, passengers may pass through the third gate to complete the arrival procedures for entering the Mainland.
Summing up the operational experience in the initial stage of the port's opening, the overall clearance situation has been generally smooth. Nevertheless, we note that individual passengers were not fully familiar with the relevant requirements and procedures of the new clearance mode, including not having completed enrolment with the Hong Kong side and the registration for the Mainland e-Channel in advance. As a result, they required assistance and explanation from on-site staff when using the "collaborative inspection" automated channels for the first time. In view of the above situation, the ImmD immediately took the following response measures to make passenger clearance smoother -
(a) to assist eligible persons in completing the enrolment procedures with the Hong Kong side before using the "collaborative inspection" automated channels for the first time, the ImmD has set up an additional e-Channel enrolment office outside the departure hall on the fifth floor of the Huanggang Port Building, and has deployed sufficient staff on-site to provide immediate assistance to passengers with their enrolment so as to shorten the overall clearance time;
(b) the ImmD has stepped up publicity through various channels, including releasing promotional videos on official social media platforms, to encourage eligible Hong Kong residents to complete enrolment in advance through the "HK e-Channel" mobile application before travelling, with a special reminder for parents or legal guardians that they must complete enrolment for their children aged between seven and 17 in advance; and
(c) additional staff have been deployed on-site to guide and assist passengers in using the "collaborative inspection" automated channels, and passenger diversion has been strengthened at the departure hall and the entrances to the automated channels to direct passengers who are ineligible or have not completed enrolment to traditional counters for departure procedures, with a view to enhancing clearance efficiency.
The ImmD will continue to maintain close liaison with the Shenzhen authorities, closely monitor the operation of the port, and flexibly deploy manpower and optimise on-site supporting facilities in the light of passenger flow to ensure efficient and smooth clearance.
(2) & (3) In planning the public transport services for the Huanggang Port, one of the Government's major considerations was to make good use of the existing transport infrastructure as well as the public transport networks and resources (including the San Tin Public Transport Interchange (PTI)).
At present, four franchised bus routes (three daytime and one overnight) and four green minibus (GMB) routes (three daytime and one overnight) connect the Huanggang Port with the San Tin PTI. Tour groups can use the bus shuttle service between the Huanggang Port and the San Tin PTI, with a journey time of about five minutes. The Transport Department (TD) has re-spatialised the San Tin PTI so that passengers can wait in an air-conditioned waiting area. The closest pick-up and drop-off zone to the waiting area have also been allocated for local non-franchised bus or coaches.
The TD has maintained close contact with the Travel Industry Authority and the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong to disseminate relevant information to travel agencies and travelers, thereby assisting them in planning their itineraries in advance and selecting suitable shuttle services between the Huanggang Port and the San Tin PTI. Through the tourism industry, the TD also monitors the daily number of tour groups using the Huanggang Port, co-ordinates service arrangements with franchised bus operators in a timely manner, and has requested operators to enhance the deployment of buses with luggage racks, with a view to enhancing the experience for travellers.
Just like the original Lok Ma Chau Control Point and other land boundary control points, the Hong Kong Port Area (HKPA) of the redeveloped Huanggang Port is administered as a closed area. Only cross-boundary vehicles holding valid Closed Road Permits and designated public transport service vehicles (including franchised buses, GMBs, urban and New Territories taxis, and fleet taxis) are permitted to enter the HKPA. This is also the most effective way to make use of the limited space within the HKPA. No pick-up and drop-off areas are provided for private cars (including ride-hailing vehicles to be issued with permits in future) within the HKPA.
With the official opening of the Huanggang Port, the TD will continue to closely monitor the operation of relevant public transport services as well as the travel patterns and demand of cross-boundary passengers, so as to respond promptly to actual circumstances and ensure that public transport services can meet the cross-boundary travel demand of passengers.
(4) During the planning stage of the Huanggang Port, provision was already made for the passenger arrival and departure halls connecting to the Northern Link (NOL) Spur Line. The NOL Spur Line will connect directly to the Huanggang Port in future and, together with the co-location arrangement, will link up the metro networks of Hong Kong and Shenzhen. In February this year, the Government promulgated the Hong Kong Railway Standards, and concurrently established the dedicated Railway Checking Unit to enhance the efficiency of the approval process for new railway projects. Coupled with taking forward the NOL Spur Line concurrently in combination with the Main Line through an innovative mindset to generate synergies, the programme of the NOL Spur Line has been substantially advanced by two years to achieve simultaneous commissioning with the NOL Main Line by 2034 or earlier. The Government will continue to leverage innovative technologies with the MTR Corporation Limited to enhance the speed and efficiency of project delivery, striving for the early completion and commissioning of the NOL project.
Ends/Wednesday, November 4, 2026
Issued at HKT 12:50
Issued at HKT 12:50
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