Amendments to area of pilot boarding station and additional pilotage dues to be gazetted on Friday

     The Government will gazette the Pilotage Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule 2) Notice 2025 and the Pilotage (Dues) (Amendment) Order 2025 this Friday (January 10). The proposed amendments aim to extend the area of the pilot boarding station located off Lam Kok Tsui (Black Point) on Urmston Road and to reduce the additional pilotage dues for providing pilotage services in Mirs Bay.

     To facilitate and regulate pilotage services, the Pilotage Ordinance (Cap. 84) specifies the locations and the respective areas of each pilot boarding station to ensure that pilots comply with the statutory requirements when boarding or disembarking from ships.

     A spokesman for the Transport and Logistics Bureau said, "We propose to extend the radius of the area of the pilot boarding station located off Lam Kok Tsui (Black Point) on Urmston Road from 0.5 to 1 nautical mile to align with the operational needs of pilots, thereby enhancing both the navigational safety of ships and the operational safety of pilots."

     Pilotage dues are charged to pilotage services users by licensed pilots for the provision of pilotage services and are specified in Pilotage (Dues) Order (Cap. 84D). They are reviewed periodically by both the representatives of pilotage services providers and users.  

     The spokesman added, "In view of the change of modus operandi of pilotage services in Mirs Bay, both parties mutually agreed to reduce the amount of additional pilotage dues from $10,350 to $4,230 in area off Ping Chau and from $12,150 to $7,400 in area off Crooked Island and the area off Shek Ngau Chau." 

     The Panel on Economic Development of the Legislative Council (LegCo) and the Pilotage Advisory Committee have been consulted and have supported the legislative proposals. 

     The proposed legislative amendments will be tabled at the LegCo for negative vetting on January 15.