>Press Releases Home > Publications and press releases > Press Releases Invitation for EOI for operation of cross boundary passenger ferry services The Government announced today (November 26) the invitation for expressions of interest and preliminary proposals to occupy and use the existing domestic ferry pier at Tuen Mun for the operation of cross boundary passenger ferry services to Macau and cities in the Mainland. A spokesman for the Government said: "we had received proposals from the private sector to convert the Tuen Mun Pier to a cross-boundary passenger ferry terminal ("CBFT") and operate ferry services to Macau and other cities in the Pearl River Delta Region." "A review of the throughput figures and utilisation rates of the existing CBFTs shows that there is no immediate need for a new CBFT in Hong Kong. We recognise that the proposed CBFT could strengthen cross boundary ferry services and enhance the convenience for residents in the New Territories. However, we have to be prudent in spending resources in view of the current financial situation." "The Government is prepared to pursue the project on the basis of a partnership between the Government and the private sector if there are sufficient private sector interests in a scheme with the following major elements :-" (a) the Government to provide necessary services such as immigration, customs, police, marine control and port health etc. to support the operation of the proposed CBFT; (b) the operator(s) to be required to : (i) be responsible for the necessary works for pier conversion/modification (estimated to be about $26 million); (ii) pay for the non-recurrent items such as systems, equipment and furniture required for Government Department's operation (estimated to be about $33 million); (iii) pay an annual fee of not less than $15 million to the Government; (iv) pay the electricity cost for the operation of Government Departments at the proposed CBFT (estimated to be about $2.5 million per year); and (v) be responsible for the maintenance and general management of the proposed CBFT (estimated to be about $8 million per year); and (c) subject to availability of space and Government prior approval, the operator may be allowed to sub-let terminal premises designated by Government, berthing slots, advertising and shopping space (if any) and baggage handling services (if any) and to keep fees for such subletting. Revenue arising from duty-free shops, if any, will be shared between the operator and Government. "If there is positive response to the invitation for expressions of interest exercise and everything goes smoothly, we intend to conduct an open tender exercise in the first half of 2003 to select the operator(s)." The spokesman added that; "we will consider granting the selected operator(s) the right to operate cross boundary passenger ferry services from the proposed CBFT for a period of five years, which may be renewed in due course." The Project Outline can be obtained from:- (a) Environment, Transport and Works Bureau, Reception Counter, 15/F, Murray Building, 3 Garden Road, Central, Hong Kong; (b) Marine Department Headquarters Counter, Room 2121, 21/F, Harbour Building, 38 Pier Road, Central, Hong Kong; and (c) Government Property Agency, Reception Counter, 31/F, Revenue Tower, 5 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong; or the Internet at the following addresses:- http://www.etwb.gov.hk/ http://www.info.gov.hk/mardep/index.htm Interested parties are invited to submit 10 copies of their submission to Marine Department at Room 2121, 21/F, Harbour Building, 38 Pier Road, Hong Kong on or before 5 pm, December 30, 2002. Late submission will not be accepted. At present there are two CBFTs in Hong Kong, namely the Macau Ferry Terminal and the China Ferry Terminal. In 2001, their combined passenger throughput was 17.9 million, representing an average utilisation rate of 68 per cent. The Tuen Mun Pier has four berths, one of which is currently used for the operation of a domestic passenger ferry service to and from Chek Lap Kok. The other three berths could be made available for operation of cross boundary passenger ferry services after pier modification works are necessary to accommodate the boundary control facilities. End/Tuesday, November 26, 2002
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