Lawrence Chow on Unlocking Hong Kong’s Coastline Potential

Proposed Hung Hom marina development in Victoria Harbour; CGI image: Hong Kong Government Development Bureau

It is positive news that the Chief Executive of Hong Kong has shifted the spotlight to support yacht tourism and the pleasure boating industry. As an industry, we fully agree with the director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, Xia Baolong, who urged to “Make good use of Hong Kong’s 1,180km of coastline and 263 islands, and develop wellness tourism, vacation tourism, cultural tourism and cruise tourism”.

It has been close to 20 years since a new marina was built in Hong Kong. The four identified sites for development in Hong Kong would pave the way forward for more growth for the boating industry and the local community. Each of the four sites has its merits, but should be studied in detail to maximise their full potential.

Chow and a panel at the Asia-Pacific Superyacht Summit 2025, in May, discussed making Hong Kong more yachting-friendly

Hung Hom Marina: This is ideal for a landmark marina as it is in the harbour, enhancing the image of Hong Kong. It will be a natural extension of the Tsim Sha Tsui Avenue of Stars, encouraging the public to enjoy the waterfront.

Floating structures or platforms along the sea wall could enable more activities, shops or restaurants along the boardwalk. A marina with watersports facilities in this location would enable Hong Kong to host mega watersports events, which could reactivate Tsim Sha Tsui East. The proximity to The Polytechnic University could open the potential for more marine research or to provide technical courses.

Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter: An Aberdeen marina development expansion would enhance one of the most established boating hubs in Hong Kong. The enlarged sheltered water area could accommodate larger yachts above 30m to berth, and provide a new maintenance yard. It would also provide an alternative means to access the iconic Ocean Park and new Fullerton Hotel.

Airport Marina: The marina and watersports facilities in Skytopia have advantages in capturing the residents in Tung Chung, Tuen Mun and the Greater Bay Area (GBA). Yacht owners from the GBA could cross the border by car and hop on their yachts to cruise in Hong Kong. Visitors could fly in, charter a yacht, and discover Hong Kong.

Alternatively, local yachts could berth at the airport marina and visit the various Lantau attractions such as Tai O, Ma Wan, Discovery Bay, and Disneyland.

Lamma Island: A marina may not be appropriate here as there are not enough existing supporting facilities – such as water, electricity and sewage – and with no ground transportation, it is too far for the boat owners, captains and crew to provision the boats.

However, Lamma has merits in being a cruising destination with existing restaurants and cultural/tourist attractions like the fisherman village in Picnic Bay/Sok Kwu Wan, as well as plenty of beaches and walking trails.

CREATE A CRUISING NETWORK

For Hong Kong to be a yachting destination, we need to look beyond marinas and try to build a cruising network. We should upgrade and extend the landing platforms or berths at various island locations, while new and existing marinas should allocate a certain number of berths for visiting yachts.

The convenience of berthing at Hong Kong’s outlying islands could be improved

BIG ECONOMIC IMPACT

Based on Hong Kong Census figures, the Hong Kong boating industry has an average import value of US$285 million per year (2020-2024), ranging from canoes to superyachts.

The boating industry doesn’t just stop at boat sales. The local economic impact continues throughout the lifespan of the boat; on average,owners need to spend about 10 per cent of the boat value every year on maintenance.

This translates to jobs and revenue for many businesses and individuals – including captains/crew, berthing/mooring fees, shipyards/mechanics/electricians, insurance, spare-parts sales, transportation, training, fuel stations, restaurants and even the local supermarkets.

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

Hong Kong has a rich maritime history and is also perfect for ecotourism, as we are blessed with beautiful waters and islands, as well as a Unesco Global Geopark. Many islands have cultural and tourist attractions, as well as great local seafood restaurants.

WAY FORWARD

The pleasure boat industry has grown significantly in recent decades, but has been stifled by the lack of berthing space. To ensure these proposed marina developments are designed with the correct berthing mix, sufficient facilities, and can cater to the boating industry, we believe a government task force or committee for the pleasure boating industry is necessary.

LAWRENCE CHOW

Chow is Chair of the Hong Kong Boating Industry Association and the Icomia Asia Working Group. He is founder and Director of Marine Asia, a marina consultancy representing Poralu Marine in Hong Kong and Macau, and the Manager of China Pacific Marine, a family-run boat dealership in Hong Kong that represents Jeanneau, Boston WhalerYanmar, Honda Marine, Sunstream and Yachtwerft Meyer.

hongkongbia.com
icomia.org
marine-asia.com 
chinapacificmarine.com

This article was first seen on YachtStyle.com.

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