According to the Marine and Water Bureau, the government plans to provide 50 provisional berths for yacht berthing at the Shizimen Waterway near Coloane Pier in support of the individual visit scheme for yachts plying between Guangdong and Macau. The surrounding waters near A Ma are another option, and authorities may also consider co-operating with private investors to build yacht berths.

So-called ‘Free travel’ yachting between Macau and Zhongshan City in Guangdong. will be a reality by mid-2015, with both administrations planning the first mainland Chinese marina in the latter’s Shenwan Town.

Following a meeting with Macau’s Chief Executive Chui Sai On and a delegation of top officials, the Party Secretary of Zhongshan City, Mr. Xue Xiaofeng, confirmed his expectation that the so-called ‘individual visit scheme’ for yachts travelling between Macau and Zhongshan should be ready by the first half of this year.

The scheme enables yachts from Macau to berth at the marina in Zhongshan, and implements a plan by both mainland and local governments to facilitate a simpler customs clearance procedure for their yacht owners and crew members, Macau’s Marine and Water Bureau says.

The yacht berthing facilities in Shenwan Town are actually part of an integrated residence and marina project developed by Keppel Land Ltd., the property arm of Singapore’s Keppel Group. The completion of the first phase of the integrated project will see 145 berths available for yachts; upon full completion another 500 berths will be in place, Chinese-language media has reported.

Lei Veng Seng, Head of the Shipping and Seafarers Department of the Marine and Water Bureau, said that now the FIT policy, law, procedures, safety requirements and staff training in the two places are progressing in an orderly manner. An interdepartmental communicative mechanism will be set up to comply with related tasks, and it is anticipated that the service will open at the end of June or the beginning of July.

Macau Yacht Club and Macau Fisherman’s Wharf have been encouraged by the authorities to participate in the yacht FIT scheme in order to enhance yacht berthing, with three tiers of yacht berthing to be established for tourists. Operators will be introduced to manage and offer transferral shipping service for the provisional yacht berthing provided by the government, with a low fee charged.

Bureau director Susana Wong Soi Man said recently that the provisional facilities were needed in order to accompany the special yacht travel scheme as the number of existing berths at Macau’s piers at Lam Mau near the Inner Harbour and Macau Fisherman’s Wharf were insufficient.

Currently, there are 57 berths at the Lam Mau pier on Macau Peninsula, which are managed by Macau Yacht Club; there are 22 berths at Macau Fisherman’s Wharf.