The Hong Kong Boating Industry Association (HKBIA) took part in “Guangzhou-Hong Kong Synergy: Building a Bay Area Yachting Ecosystem”, the 18th session of the Yue-Gang Monthly Talk series organised by the Guangzhou Nansha Guangdong-Hong Kong Cooperation Consultative Committee, held in Hong Kong.
HKBIA Chairman Lawrence Chow joined the round table discussion alongside Mr C Y Leung, Vice-Chairman of the National Committee of the CPPCC and Adviser to the Committee; Mr Zhu Yuanbing of the Guangzhou Institute of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area; Mr Peng Xiaoshu, Vice Commodore of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club and a member of the Marine Department advisory sub-committee; and Mr Leung Yuet-hei, representing the Nansha yacht building and repair industry.
Presentations were delivered by Mr Yuan Biao, Deputy Director of the Nansha Development Zone Administrative Committee; Mr Benjamin Wong, Head of Transport, Logistics and Industrials at Invest Hong Kong, on Hong Kong’s yachting industry development plans and opportunities; and Mr Ye Zhenhui, Chairman of Nansha Development and Construction Group, on jointly building the Bay Area yachting ecosystem.
Three Themes Ran Through the Discussion
- Deepening boating culture on both sides of the boundary
- Building a boating value chain that genuinely connects the region
- Expanding marina and berthing infrastructure to support a seamless cross-boundary yachting ecosystem
HKBIA’s Position
A Bay Area yachting ecosystem will be built on practical arrangements rather than declarations. Three points matter most to HKBIA members.
Berthing capacity. Hong Kong remains structurally short of berths, and that shortage caps everything downstream: sales, servicing, crew and marine tourism alike. Nansha’s build-out is an opportunity rather than a threat, provided the two sides plan capacity and standards together rather than in parallel.
Cross-boundary access. Yacht free movement between Guangdong and Hong Kong has proved the concept. Widening the entry points and simplifying pre-arrival and clearance procedures would do more for cross-boundary boating in the near term than any single new facility.
A real value chain. Hong Kong’s brokerage, surveying, finance, insurance and crew training capability, paired with Nansha’s build and refit capacity, is a far stronger regional offer than either side alone. The trade already works on both sides of the boundary; the policy framework should catch up with that commercial reality.
A Bay Area yachting ecosystem will be built on practical arrangements rather than declarations.
The Greater Bay Area has the scale to become a world-class yachting destination, and Hong Kong, with its professional services, maritime expertise and international connectivity, is well placed to contribute. HKBIA will continue to represent the trade in these discussions, and welcomes members’ views on the priorities above.
For more information on the Hong Kong Boating Industry Association, visit www.hongkongbia.com.