Hong Kong: Cruiseships calling at Hong Kong’s soon-to-open Kai Tak cruise terminal will need to use low sulphur fuel at berth.
Commissioner for Tourism, Philip Yung, speaking this morning at the opening ceremony of the Seatrade Hong Kong Cruise Forum, said: “The government will install on-shore power supply at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, so that cruise vessels with such facilities will benefit. The government will also work to legislate the requirement for ocean-going vessels at berth to switch to low-sulphur diesel after consultation with the maritime sector.”
Yung said he was “confident” that “the industry will work with us to bring about a cleaner Hong Kong”.
The event tthat Yung was speaking at was designed to drive cruise traffic to Hong Kong ahead of the June opening of the new cruise facility at Kai Tak, the site of the old airport.
“Hong Kong is well positioned to drive the growth of cruise business in this part of the world, and the commissioning of the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal is an important part of our strategy to develop Hong Kong into a leading cruise hub in this region,” Yung said.
Hong Kong’s ambitions to develop into a regional cruise hub have received support from Beijing. In June last year it was announced that Mainland tour groups would be allowed to take cruises from Hong Kong to Taiwan, and then visit Japan or Korea in the same journey before returning to the Mainland.
“This is really good news for both Hong Kong and cruise operators, as the measure allows us to tap the growing Mainland market and organise more interesting itineraries in the East Asian region,” Yung noted.
The commissioner was realistic on what it would take to get the city more firmly established on the global cruise map – greater interaction.
“It is important,” he said, “for neighbouring ports to work together to strengthen the overall appeal of the region and spark the demand for cruise tourism for our part of the world.”
The cruise event, with 180 delegates, finishes tomorrow. [22/01/13]
