The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today conducted the first stress test of passenger and vehicular flows with Shenzhen authorities at the Huanggang Port.

More than 10,000 civil servants participated in the exercise. They took various modes of public transport to the port and practised immigration procedures before departure.

Cyclical trials involving more than 400 departures using vehicles dispatched by public transport operators simulated the flow of people and vehicles arriving and departing from the port.

The drill marked the first trial of the “collaborative inspection” automated channels for passenger clearance. Participants departed through the automated channels or manual counters at the departure hall.

The stress test also included a “crowd concentrated-flow test”. Participants were held on designated floors and released in several major batches within a short period. This simulated peak-hour conditions where a large number of arriving passengers proceed to the public transport interchange simultaneously.

Meanwhile, the drill conducted a vehicle-flow stress test involving nearly 1,000 vehicle trips on the joint one-stop vehicle lane level. Participating vehicles entered the port through the new connecting road in batches.

The drill simulated the risk assessment process by the Customs & Excise Department, queuing for joint one-stop vehicle lanes for inspection and clearance or routing to the inspection area for further checks.

Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki, alongside Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung, Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung and Secretary for Transport & Logistics Mable Chan, inspected the drill.

Mr Chan said the drill was conducted smoothly, with a large number of passengers and vehicles entering and leaving the port building in an orderly manner and a public transport interchange capable of absorbing substantial passenger flows within a short period of time.

He noted that the Hong Kong SAR Government will work closely with the Shenzhen side to press ahead with various preparatory tasks at full steam. Once both sides confirm the port is ready for safe and smooth operation, the governments of Guangdong and Hong Kong will finalise and announce the official opening date of the Huanggang Port.

Representatives from various bureaus, departments and organisations participated in the drill, including the Security Bureau, the Transport & Logistics Bureau, the Civil Service Bureau, the Hong Kong Police Force, the Transport Department, the Highways Department, the Immigration Department, the Hong Kong Customs & Excise Department, the Department of Health and the Fire Services Department.

Also participating were the Architectural Services Department, the Electrical & Mechanical Services Department, the Government Property Agency, the Digital Policy Office, the Office of the Communications Authority, the Food & Environmental Hygiene Department, the Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department, the Civil Aid Service, the Auxiliary Medical Service and various public transport operators.