Mabel Chan: Promote Greater Bay Area transport integration through multi-dimensional collaboration, leverage Hong Kong's advantage as a "super connector"

At the Legislative Council meeting on October 15, Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mabel Chan delivered a concluding speech on the Members' motion on "Actively aligning with the National 14th Five-Year Plan Outline and promoting the coordinated development of ports, airports and rail transport in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area." Centering on the keyword "coordinated development," she responded from three dimensions: internal coordination among Hong Kong's ports, airports and rail transport; regional coordination between Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area; and the comprehensive connectivity of people flows, goods flows, capital flows and information flows. Mabel Chan pointed out that this year marks the opening year of the National 15th Five-Year Plan, which explicitly supports Hong Kong in consolidating and enhancing its dual-hub status as an international shipping center and an international aviation hub, and supports Guangdong-Hong Kong cooperation in promoting the coordinated development of ports, airports and rail transport. The Hong Kong First Five-Year Plan proactively aligns with this direction, and the Transport and Logistics Bureau has set multiple work targets across sea, land and air. She summarized Members' views into ten major areas, including coordination mechanisms, regulatory alignment, standards certification, terminal smartification, institutional innovation, transit hub status, air-rail intermodal transport, rail transport, boundary crossing facilitation and new energy development. Regarding coordination mechanisms for development, the Transport and Logistics Bureau plays a leading and coordinating role in Greater Bay Area transport coordination, and has established close, high-level and mature cooperation mechanisms with relevant mainland authorities. Aviation: The Pearl River Delta Region Air Traffic Management Planning and Implementation Task Force was jointly established by the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department and the Macao Civil Aviation Authority to explore the application of new technologies and new flight routes and make good use of Greater Bay Area airspace resources. Rail transport: The Hong Kong-Shenzhen Cross-Boundary Rail Infrastructure Task Force is taking forward two cross-boundary railway projects, with a project promotion office and a legal affairs sub-group under it. The Northern Link spur line aims to reach an agreement with MTR within the year, and the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Railway (Hung Shui Kiu to Qianhai) aims to go out to tender next year. Shipping: A cooperation task force has been set up with the Guangdong Provincial Department of Transport and the Provincial Development and Reform Commission to promote port collaboration and logistics information connectivity under the Guangdong-Hong Kong Cooperation Joint Conference mechanism. In innovation and technology application, the Port Community System was built by the Government, using blockchain technology together with one-stop real-time cargo tracking, intelligent analysis and alert functions to respond to situations such as shipping schedule delays, extreme weather or port congestion. The system explores the use of artificial intelligence and big data analytics, combining real-time global vessel positions, port vessel flow distribution and storm formation conditions to make voyage adjustments. The system also links with the Monetary Authority to assist trade finance approvals through cargo flow data, and explores connection with overseas and mainland ports and international shipping data platforms, giving play to Hong Kong's role as a "super connector" in logistics data. Mabel Chan then gave focused responses on aviation, shipping and rail transport. On aviation, the Airport Authority will further expand "Fly via Zhuhai-Hong Kong" to provide passengers with seamless connections between the two airports, and this transit service has already served more than 130,000 passengers. The first phase of permanent facilities at the Dongguan Air Cargo Centre has been completed in phases since the end of 2025, with the target of commencing operation in the first half of next year, combining mainland resources with the international standards of Hong Kong International Airport and demonstrating institutional innovation. On route development, the focus is on collaborating with the Civil Aviation Administration of China, with through-flights under the "trunk-branch connectivity, network-wide connection" model and transit facilitation services at the core, integrating into the national "one circle, six corridors, five channels" development and enhancing efficient connections between mainland cities and global destinations. The first batch of through-flight routes is being prepared with the Airport Authority and airlines, and details are expected to be announced within the year. "Air-rail intermodal transport" is reflected in two aspects: first, West Kowloon High Speed Rail Station connects with nearby high-speed rail stations, using autonomous driving to facilitate passenger transfers, and in future passengers may travel with carry-on luggage via 24-hour unmanned shuttle vehicles; second, using the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge to promote autonomous driving, carrying passengers between Hong Kong International Airport and the Zhuhai boundary crossing, moving toward commercialization of autonomous driving. On shipping, in response to the development framework established in the Hong Kong First Five-Year Plan of "stabilizing container volume, increasing value and strengthening coordination," full efforts have been advanced. Stabilizing container volume: continue to deepen "rail-sea-land-river" multi-modal transport and support Hong Kong's joint development of the "South China-South America" international cold chain logistics corridor. Increasing value: move from a traditional "large-tonnage port" toward a "value port," upgrading toward digitalization, greening and smart operations. A roadmap is being formulated for the smart development of the Kwai Tsing Container Terminals, and it is hoped that Hong Kong's first "green shipping corridor" will be announced in November or December this year, reflecting mainland production, Hong Kong bunkering and trading, and serving global vessels. Strengthening coordination: seize the opportunity for coordinated development of the Greater Bay Area port cluster, make use of the institutional dividend of Hong Kong port's free port status "within the country but outside the customs territory" and its international shipping network advantages, strengthen cooperation with feeder ports such as Dongguan and Huizhou, revitalize Hong Kong's barge network, and promote river-ocean transshipment facilitation. The Port Community System has been connected with the Guangdong Electronic Port, providing a "one document, multiple declarations" cargo declaration function and sea freight manifest pre-filling and pre-reporting functions, and it is hoped that more mainland and overseas ports will make use of efficient customs clearance capabilities to give play to Hong Kong's advantages as a transshipment port. On cross-boundary rail transport, the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link connects to the national high-speed rail network of more than 50,000 kilometers, embodying the one-hour living circle of the Greater Bay Area. It will continue, together with MTR CORPORATION, to work with the National Railway Administration to expand connections between the national high-speed rail network and Hong Kong West Kowloon High Speed Rail Station. The reconstructed Huanggang Port opened this week, and it is hoped that the Northern Link spur line can connect to Huanggang Port, advancing the "hard connectivity" of rail infrastructure. After the opening of Huanggang Port, passengers can reach the San Tin Public Transport Interchange or Tsing Yi Station via dedicated shuttle bus routes, and then transfer to the Airport Express, and relevant information will be further strengthened for passengers. On "co-location arrangement," the arrangement has already been implemented at the West Kowloon Station of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link, Shenzhen Bay Port and the reconstructed Huanggang Port. Successful experience will be summarized, and in light of future cross-boundary transport planning, public demand for boundary crossing and the road hardware design around projects, the possibility of extending the "co-location arrangement" will be explored with relevant mainland authorities. On new energy development, in order to achieve the national "dual carbon" goals and Hong Kong's commitment to carbon neutrality before 2050, Hong Kong enterprises' internationally leading advantages in the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry will be well used to build a Hong Kong SAF industry chain in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, promote the establishment of a production base in Dongguan, and soon announce good news on blending facilities in Hong Kong, achieving a full industry chain covering production, blending facilities and use. On shore power, promotion will be gradually strengthened, supporting terminal operators in installing shore power equipment, accelerating energy saving and emission reduction at terminals, and providing diversified decarbonization options for ocean-going container ships. Drawing on the experience of the port fee concession scheme for vessels using green marine fuels launched in June this year, consideration will be given to economic incentives such as port fee reductions to encourage ocean-going container ships with shore power connection capability to use shore power while berthing at the Kwai Tsing Container Terminals. Mabel Chan emphasized that the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is a major national development strategy, and Hong Kong plays the role of "super connector" and "super value-adder." It will continue, under the principles of proactive alignment, deepened coordination and pragmatic advancement, to implement the tasks of the National 15th Five-Year Plan Outline and the Hong Kong First Five-Year Plan. Next, the 10th anniversary Hong Kong Maritime Week will be held in mid-November, as well as the Super Terminal Expo international aviation conference; and next year efforts will be made to successfully secure the hosting in Hong Kong of a large-scale railway and road conference. On standards, whether for aviation fuel, green shipping fuel or railway standards, the direction is to align with national standards and promote the application of these standards in international markets.