Beijing has approved a pilot scheme allowing yachts to enter designated Greater Bay Area mainland ports without customs guarantees, in a strategic move to boost the region’s yacht economy. A joint statement from the Hong Kong Boating Industry Association and the Asia-Pacific Superyacht Association confirms the new policy opens seamless cross-border cruising across nine GBA cities for the first time.
HONG KONG, 30 May 2026 — In an official statement, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government welcomed the State Council’s announcement of the pilot exemption: the requirement for a guarantee when temporarily entering and exiting Chinese Mainland ports through designated points in the nine cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has been lifted, and a temporary ship nationality registration system introduced for Hong Kong and Macao yachts navigating within those cities.
The pilot yachting scheme will allow vessels to enter nine designated mainland ports without customs guarantees. These new policies pave the way for seamless, cross-border yacht travel within the Greater Bay Area.
Opening the Bay: A Landmark Step for Cross-Border Cruising
Lawrence Chow, Chairman of the Hong Kong Boating Industry Association (HKBIA), described the development as transformative for the regional marine leisure sector.
“The policy is a major step towards seamless yacht travel within the bay area. It also helps Hong Kong’s yacht industry to expand and connect the nine cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. By expanding the waters beyond Hong Kong, people with yachts can venture to different cities and islands in the GBA. The regulations now exist for yachts from Hong Kong and Macao to sail to selected ports while being exempt from guarantee requirements.”
— Lawrence Chow, Chairman, Hong Kong Boating Industry Association
Joe Yuen, Treasurer of the Asia-Pacific Superyacht Association (APSA), echoed the significance of the announcement for the superyacht industry at large.
“Currently the policy only allows Hong Kong and Macao registered yachts to visit the nine cities in the Greater Bay Archipelago, which is an important milestone for the industry and regional growth. China opening its cruising grounds marks an important step forward for the future.”
— Joe Yuen, Treasurer, Asia-Pacific Superyacht Association
The Nine Cities — and the First Ports of Call
According to the Hong Kong Government, the new regulations will allow Hong Kong and Macao yachts to use their Provisional Certificate of Ship’s Nationality when entering the nine mainland GBA cities: Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Huizhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, and Zhaoqing.
The first batch of designated ports includes Nansha Passenger Port in Guangzhou and the Shenzhen Airport Ferry Terminal, along with their designated waters for leisure cruising around the Pearl River Estuary and Shenzhen Bay area.
Chow added that a delegation of members from both the HKBIA and APSA will travel to Shenzhen on 3 June to meet with yachting sector officials, and will also visit a number of marinas now part of this expanded GBA yachting archipelago.
Reducing Burdens, Building Momentum
A spokesman for Hong Kong’s Transport and Logistics Bureau outlined the collaborative framework underpinning the new scheme: “Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao have been committed to promoting individual yacht travel. To this end, the Marine Department, the Guangdong Maritime Safety Administration, and the Macao Marine and Water Bureau have established the tripartite Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao individual yacht travel working group, which has been actively discussing facilitation measures to advance the development of the individual yacht travel system.”
The spokesman continued: “Under the new policy, the exemption for the requirement for a guarantee will significantly reduce the financial burden on owners of Hong Kong and Macao yachts when handling cross-border procedures. Meanwhile, the temporary ship nationality registration allows Hong Kong and Macao yachts to obtain temporary ship nationality certificates issued by the Chinese Mainland without affecting their original ship registration, enabling individual yacht travel within the waters of the nine Chinese Mainland cities in the GBA.”
The Marine Department is also actively co-ordinating with the Guangdong Maritime Safety Administration on facilitation measures for southbound travel for yachts from the Chinese Mainland, with details to be announced once finalised.
The spokesman from the Marine Department added that they will maintain close communication with the relevant authorities of Guangdong Province and the Macao Marine and Water Bureau to continuously review and refine facilitation measures for both northbound travel from Hong Kong and southbound travel from the Chinese Mainland — aiming to foster a healthy, sustainable, and competitive environment for the local yacht economy.
About the Hong Kong Boating Industry Association
The Hong Kong Boating Industry Association (HKBIA) is the unified voice for the marine leisure sector in Hong Kong. Representing shipyards, distributors, manufacturers, and service providers, the HKBIA works closely with government bodies and international organisations to promote safe, sustainable boating and to drive the economic growth of the regional maritime industry. For more information, visit: hongkongbia.com
About the Asia-Pacific Superyacht Association
The Asia-Pacific Superyacht Association (APSA) is the leading professional body for the superyacht industry in the Asian region. APSA’s primary objective is to promote the Asia-Pacific region as a prime cruising destination and to support the development of world-class superyacht infrastructure, services, and businesses across the territory. For more information: www.apsuperyacht.org
Photo credit: Sanlorenzo SL86A, Sanlorenzo APAC
For more information contact: Lawrence Chow, HKBIA: chair@hongkongbia.com | Suzy Rayment, APSA: admin@apsuperyacht.org