Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang (fourth from left) and other officials officiate at the December 23 ground-breaking ceremony of Kai Tak Cruise Terminal.

When the new cruise terminal is commissioned, along with the Ocean Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong will have a total of four berths for cruise vessels. Conveniently located, these terminal facilities will be able to berth cruise vessels of different types and sizes, providing high-quality infrastructure for the long-term development of the cruise industry in Hong Kong and in the region.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang officiated at the ceremony. Other officiating guests included Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Rita Lau, Secretary for Development Carrie Lam, Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (Commerce, Industry and Tourism) Yvonne Choi, Permanent Secretary for Development (Works) Mak Chai-kwong, Acting Commissioner for Tourism Joey Lam and Acting Director of Civil Engineering and Development Adrian Ng.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSARG) will fund, design and build the cruise terminal, and will lease it to a cruise terminal operator while retaining ownership. The new terminal will have two alongside berths with no air draft limit. Upon completion, it will be able to berth the world's largest cruise vessels, with a gross tonnage of 220,000 metric tons.

The HKSARG is developing the terminal through two contracts: the site formation works contract, which involves the construction of berthing facilities, and the design-and-build contract for the terminal building.

The site formation for Kai Tak Cruise Terminal is being implemented by the Civil Engineering and Development Department. It comprises the construction of a sloping seawall of approximately 1,100 meters and a 35-by-850-meter apron area for berthing of cruise vessels of different sizes and capacities. In addition, the department is overseeing the dredging of approximately 1.38 million cubic meters of marine sediment to allow maneuvering and berthing of mega cruise vessels.

The first berth, which will be capable of berthing the world's largest cruise vessels, is expected to commence operation in mid-2013. The second berth will be available in 2014 for medium-size cruise vessels; it will accommodate mega cruise vessels after the relocation of submarine gas mains.

The HSKARG is assessing tenders for the design-and-build contract for the cruise terminal building. Construction on that is expected to begin this year, with completion in 2014-15. The terminal building will be iconic, highly functional and efficient to facilitate the provision of world-class services.

Apart from hardware development, the HKSARG has continued to strengthen relationships with the cruise market and neighboring ports, as well as improve service standards to enhance the competitiveness of Hong Kong in the regional cruise market.

The Advisory Committee on Cruise Industry, comprising representatives from the Hong Kong Tourism Board, four key international cruise operators and the tourism trade, was established to advise the HKSARG on policies to develop Hong Kong as a regional cruise hub. The committee focuses on strengthening cooperation with neighboring coastal Mainland provinces to develop cruise itineraries, promoting cruise tourism in the region and encouraging manpower training in the cruise market and related industries.

In addition, the Central Government introduced a measure in April to allow Mainland tour groups traveling to Taiwan to take cruise vessels homeporting in Hong Kong, bringing the development of cruise tourism in the Mainland, Taiwan and Hong Kong to a new stage. The first sailing was completed smoothly in August. Approximately 20 sailings from Hong Kong to Taiwan, with a total capacity of 30 000 passengers, will be launched this year.