TD invites tenders for operation of six major licensed ferry services for outlying islands

     The Transport Department (TD) today (April 24) invites tenders for the operation of the six major licensed ferry services for outlying islands (the six major routes) (Tender Reference: TD 382/2019), including (i) Central-Cheung Chau, (ii) Inter-islands between Peng Chau, Mui Wo, Chi Ma Wan and Cheung Chau, (iii) Central-Mui Wo, (iv) Central-Peng Chau, (v) Central-Yung Shue Wan, and (vi) Central-Sok Kwu Wan routes.  
 
     The current licences of the six major routes, which lasted for 10 years in aggregate, will expire on March 31, 2021. The TD invites tenders for the operation of the six major routes for a five-year licence period commencing on April 1, 2021 (i.e. from April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2026). 
 
     A TD spokesman said that for the purposes of maintaining the financial viability of the six major routes, alleviating the burden of fare increases on passengers, enhancing service quality and promoting the development of a green city, the Government would continue to provide Special Helping Measures to the six major routes; and launch a new Vessel Subsidy Scheme to assist the selected ferry operators to replace the fleets of the six major routes and introduce greener vessels in phases, straddling 10 years starting from 2021.
 
     Having regard to factors such as passenger demand, overall fleet requirements, flexibility in vessel deployment, operational efficiency, and after consulting the Islands District Council, the six major routes are grouped into two tender packages for tendering.
 
Package 1
Central-Cheung Chau, Inter-islands between Peng Chau, Mui Wo, Chi Ma Wan and Cheung Chau and Central-Mui Wo routes
 
Package 2
Central-Peng Chau, Central-Yung Shue Wan and Central-Sok Kwu Wan routes
 
     Tenderers are required to propose a fare for each fare type of each relevant route, but the proposed fare for each fare type must not exceed the existing fare level of the respective route by more than 5 per cent. Tenderers should also include in their submissions fare concession proposals which will be considered in the tender evaluation.
 
     "The opportunity is taken to enhance the level of services of the six major routes in the new five-year licence period. Tenderers’ proposals should observe our requirements to enhance the services through provision of additional sailings, extending service hours, etc, to meet passenger demand," the spokesman said. 
 
     Moreover, in support of the Government's development of a smart city, tenderers are required to submit proposed measures in the tender documents, including dissemination of real-time arrival/departure time of ferry routes and number of remaining seats via mobile phone applications and opening up such data in a machine-readable format for use by the public under the Public Sector Information Portal (data.gov.hk).
 
     Tenderers must submit their tenders in sealed envelopes. The cover of the tender submission should be clearly marked with the tender reference and the subject of the tender (but should not bear any indication which may relate to the identity of the tenderer). The tender submission should be addressed to the Commissioner for Transport and placed in the TD Tender Box situated next to the reception counter of the TD on 10th floor of South Tower, West Kowloon Government Offices, 11 Hoi Ting Road, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon, before noon on June 30, 2020.  Late tenders will not be accepted.
 
     Interested parties may obtain the tender documents starting from April 27 (Monday) during office hours at the Ferry and Paratransit Division of the TD on 14th Floor, South Tower, West Kowloon Government Offices, 11 Hoi Ting Road, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon.