First batch of travellers on Guangdong yachts laud southbound scheme

The southbound travel for Guangdong yachts scheme began Friday. Some first-batch travellers said the experience is better than driving under the southbound vehicle scheme.

The Marine Department has also set up a dynamic monitoring system to keep real-time track of every move made by these Guangdong yachts to ensure navigational safety.

This vessel is one of the first five Guangdong yachts sailing south.

Aboard it was a group of more than ten people who set off from the Shekou cruise port in Shenzhen embarking on a three-day trip to Hong Kong. After entering Hong Kong waters, they first cruised around Victoria Harbour before reaching Central Pier.

Some of them later took a stroll to the adjacent Central harbourfront promenade and the landmark ferris wheel before grabbing some snacks and drinks, spending close to 300 dollars in just a few minutes.

The Marine Department watches every move of these Guangdong yachts in real-time with its dynamic monitoring system. Based on the vessel's length, beam and draft, along with the seabed depth of different anchorages, it can assign corresponding berths while ensuring a safe distance between ships.

The Marine Department says if the system finds that there is not enough space in the anchorage to accommodate more yachts, they will temporarily suspend accepting new applications. The system comes with an electronic geofencing function. If a Guangdong yacht's navigation trajectory shows abnormalities, such as approaching shallow areas -- it will automatically issue a warning alert.