Smooth opening for Huanggang port: govt

Officials reported that the redevelopment of Huanggang port began smoothly on Monday morning, with Chief Secretary Eric Chan anticipating a calm first day to allow staff to prepare for increased passenger traffic. Chan revealed that he did not anticipate the port to be overly crowded on its opening day, as the national holiday had recently concluded, indicating a lower volume of visitors. He expressed hope that by the time the next peak occurred, his colleagues would be well-acquainted with the facility's operations.

Chan also mentioned that if the new collaborative inspection and joint clearance model proved effective, the government would consider implementing it at other border checkpoints. According to Secretary for Security Chris Tang, over 5,000 individuals utilized the redeveloped Huanggang port during the initial two hours of its opening, representing a 60 percent increase compared to the pre-renovation period.

Nearly 1,000 vehicles also passed through, marking a 30 percent rise. Tang highlighted that all self-service collaborative inspection channels were functioning normally, and passengers could proceed without delays. Vehicles using the joint one-stop lane faced wait times of under five minutes.

Tang emphasized that a joint command centre established with Shenzhen authorities would aid in maintaining seamless operations across the border. For the joint operation room between Shenzhen and Hong Kong authorities, he stated that the team would operate as long as necessary, particularly during peak seasons such as weekends or international events like the APEC conference.

Tang assured that sufficient manpower would be allocated to manage the challenge. Transport chief Mable Chan reported that public transport had transported more than 3,000 individuals to and from Huanggang port during the first two hours of operations. She also noted that contingency plans were in place ahead of the anticipated travel rush during the upcoming Chung Yeung Festival long weekend.