With regard to the New Year's Eve countdown celebration to be held by the Hong Kong Tourism Board on December 31, the Marine Department (MD) will implement marine traffic control measures and step up inspections of spectator vessels on the event day to ensure that safety requirements are met.
Closed areas will be established in two stages on the event day in the waters where barges for the fireworks display will be anchored. All vessels will be prohibited from entering these closed areas. The closed area in the waters off the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai will be established from 12.30pm on the event day to about 3am on the following day (January 1), while the closed area in the waters off the Hong Kong Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui will be established from 11pm to about 1am on the following day. A restricted area will be established in the Central Harbour from 11pm to about 1am on the following day. Only authorised vessels will be allowed to enter. Scheduled ferry vessels with permission may continue services until 11.40pm.
Spectator vessels can stay inside the specified area, other than the restricted area and the closed area, for viewing from 10pm to 1am on the following day. To enhance maritime safety during a major event at sea, coxswains of spectator vessels in a specified area during a specified period must ensure children on board are accompanied by an adult and wear a lifejacket at all times. Coxswains must also keep a passenger and crew list on board for emergency purposes. The MD will step up vessel inspections. If any vessel fails to meet these requirements, the department will initiate prosecution.
In addition, to ensure vessels disperse in an orderly manner, the Eastern and Western Cordon Lines of the restricted area will be lifted in stages after the event. The Western Cordon Line will be lifted first at about 1am on January 1. Spectator vessels behind the Western Cordon Line and those wishing to move to the east must follow the instructions of officers from the MD and the Police at the scene. The Eastern Cordon Line will be lifted later depending on traffic conditions in Victoria Harbour. It is anticipated that the restricted area designation will be lifted by about 1.15am on January 1.
For landside crowd control, the public landing steps Nos. 4 and 5 at Kowloon Public Pier will be closed temporarily from 8pm on the event day to about 1am on the following day. The other landing steps of Kowloon Public Pier will be closed temporarily from 10pm on the event day to about 1am on the following day, while other public landing steps within the restricted area will be closed temporarily from 10.30pm on the event day to about 1am on the following day. Buffer zones at Kowloon Public Pier, Kwun Tong Public Pier and Central Piers 9 and 10 will be established immediately after the event for safe and orderly disembarkation of passengers.
Officers from the MD and the Police will also maintain order at major landing facilities after the event. Coxswains and crew members should remind passengers to pack their personal belongings early before the vessels arrive alongside the landing steps, as well as assisting passengers to disembark. Coxswains and passengers should follow the guidance of the MD and the Police at the scene.
The MD and the Marine Police will also strengthen law enforcement, especially on the condition of life-saving appliances, speeding and overloading. Coxswains and persons-in-charge of vessels should check again and reconfirm that the operating licence, the certificate of survey and the third-party risk insurance are valid before setting sail.
MD Notice No. 240 of 2024 on the marine traffic control and safety measures has been issued and is available for viewing on the MD's website (www.mardep.gov.hk).
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