The Marine Department today signed two work arrangements with the Guangdong Maritime Safety Administration (GDMSA) to take forward the implementation of cross-boundary individual yacht travel between Hong Kong and Guangdong.

The Transport & Logistics Bureau said the two documents signed – "Work Arrangement for Facilitating the Entry & Exit of Guangdong-registered Yachts into Hong Kong Waters" and "Work Arrangement for Entry & Exit of Hong Kong Yachts into Guangdong" – mark a significant milestone for yacht travel between the two places.

It added that the authorities are pressing ahead with the final preparatory work, and will soon announce implementation details for southbound travel of yachts from Guangdong.

The bureau also highlighted that Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan and 2026 Policy Address both identify the “yacht economy” as a key sector for development.

Bolstered by strong support from the central government and close co-operation between Hong Kong and Guangdong, the department and the GDMSA are advancing the implementation of relevant arrangements through a tripartite Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao individual yacht travel working group. 

The northbound travel of yachts from Hong Kong was launched in June this year, allowing Hong Kong yacht owners travelling to the nine Chinese Mainland cities in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) to handle cross-border procedures more affordably and conveniently.

With southbound travel of yachts from Guangdong launching soon, yacht owners in Guangdong will enjoy the same level of convenience.

The policy is expected to add impetus to cross-boundary leisure consumption and further promote two-way exchanges and visits between Hong Kong and the Mainland.

The department said it will maintain close communication with Guangdong authorities, with a view to fostering a healthy, sustainable and competitive environment for the development of yacht economies locally and in the wider GBA, while also enhancing connectivity and promoting Hong Kong's integration into GBA development.