Bay watch with first approval for 5 mainland yachts

The Greater Bay Area has given the green light for five yachts to venture into Hong Kong waters, as per Director of Marine Wong Sai-fat. This new scheme enables yacht masters from the mainland to sit for accreditation exams in Hong Kong, eliminating the need for travel to the city. Mainland organizations are now authorized to conduct these assessments online.

Yacht owners and masters can submit pre-arrival vetting information electronically, streamlining the process and removing the requirement for a visit to a district marine office. These visiting yachts can safely anchor at five designated locations: Stanley, Tai Tam, Repulse bays, Three Fathoms Cove in Sai Kung, and Tai O.

Wong stated on an RTHK radio program that there is no need to impose a daily limit on yacht visits from the mainland. The five anchorage areas can accommodate up to 115 yachts measuring 40 meters in length, ensuring ample berthing space. Speaking of the 300 mainland yacht masters who have completed the training and passed accreditation to operate in Hong Kong waters, Wong emphasized the department's implementation of a monitoring system.

This system will alert vessels if their automatic identification system malfunctions or if they inadvertently enter restricted waters. Wong also highlighted the strengthening of patrols and enforcement actions in the designated anchorages for visiting yachts.