Subsidy to kaito operators under Anti-epidemic Fund

     The Transport Department (TD) said today (June 24) that an additional one-off subsidy of $20,000 will be provided to kaito operators for each vessel deployed in kaito services, involving an amount of about $1.8 million.
 
     To assist the transport sector in coping with the operational pressure under the current economic environment amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government has announced earlier the introduction of a series of relief measures. Kaito operators, who are owners of local commercial mechanised vessels, may directly be granted a one‑off non‑accountable subsidy of $10,000, a vessel licence fee waiver for one year and a one‑off survey fee subsidy.
 
     "The Government understands that the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the necessary anti-pandemic measures including strict boundary control and social distancing, has reduced the overall patronage of kaito services and that the operating circumstances of certain services may not be improved in the near future. In this regard, under the Anti-epidemic Fund, we will provide an additional one-off non-accountable subsidy of $20,000 to kaito operators for each vessel deployed in kaito services. The TD will issue letters to kaito operators to inform them of the application arrangements in July," the TD spokesman said.
 
     There are currently a total of 72 kaito routes in Hong Kong. Most kaitos do not provide daily public transport services for the general public. Many of them are mainly intended for tourism or recreational purposes.
 
     For details on the subsidies for transport trades under the Fund, please visit the TD's website (www.td.gov.hk).