Pazhou has been a significant place of all times.The ancient Pazhou Port has been an important trade port since the Song Dynasty. By the Qing Dynasty, the important of the ancient Huangpu Port at Pazhou rose to its peak as it became the only port for trade between the Qing Dynasty and the rest of the world.
On May 26, a ceremony was held for business promotion and start of the Pazhou-Hong Kong-MacaoPassenger Port (“Project”) on the bank of the river where legend has it that “golden turtles often emerged shining like sun”.
At the ground breaking ceremony for Project promotion held in Guangzhou on May 26, Yang Xianchang, secretary of the Party Committee and chairman of Guangdong Province Navigation Group Co., Ltd., made a speech, while Xie Yanhui, member of the Party Committee of Yuexiu Group, assistant to the director of the Administrative Committee and secretary of the Party Committee of Yuexiu Transport Infrastructure Limited, delivered a welcome speech. Also present at the ceremony were the leaders of related units, including Wang Yuqin, deputy chief of Haizhu District, Huang Duanlian, deputy director of Hong Kong & Macao Affairs Office, People’s Government of Guangdong Province, Tan Can, level-II inspector of State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC), the People’s Government of Guangdong, RuanGuolian, level-II inspector of Department of Transportation of Guangdong Province, Chen Dayuan, member of the Party Committee and deputy general manager of Guangdong Provicne Navigation Group Co., Ltd., Li Xiaodong, assistant to the general manager of Yuexiu Transport Infrastructure Limited, and leaders of Guangzhou Port Authority, Guangzhou Municipal Commercial Bureau, Haizhu Customs, Zhoutouzui Border Inspection Station and Guangzhou Maritime Safety Administration.
As one of the key construction projects of Guangdong Province and one of the major projects of Guangzhou this year, the Project has been included into the “Three-Year Plan (2018~2020) for Construction of Guangzhou International Shipping Center”. The Project is undertaken by a joint venture set up by Pearl River Shipping Services under the provincial Shipping Group and Yuexiu Transport Infrastructure Limited under Guangzhou Yuexiu Group, which is responsible for the investment, construction and management of the port.
In his speech, Yang Xianchang pointed out that Pazhou Project is an important initiative taken by Guangdong Province Navigation Group to seize the development opportunities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and materialize the new pattern of the province for regional development characterized by “one core, one belt and one area”. The launch of the Project marks a solid step taken byGuangdong Province Navigation Group and Guangzhou Yuexiu Group in boosting the major projects of Guangzhou.
He stressed that Guangdong Province Navigation Group will commit itself to building the Project into a highlight that supports regional development and benefits people’s livelihood, further improving the traffic conditions ofthe areas of Pazhou convention and exhibition and headquarters economy, assisting the construction of Guangzhou International Shipping Center, constructing a premium transport system for the Greater Bay Area and making contributions to the Greater Bay Area’s economic development with shipping services.
Xie Yanhui noted that the Project financed jointly byGuangdong Province Navigation Group and Yuexiu Group is a landmark project promoting the development of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao and interconnectivity of the Greater Bay Area. Opening a high-speed passenger shipping route in downtown Guangzhou that leads directly to the airports in Hong Kong and Macao can save travel costs, strengthen international exchanges, promote the construction of the new district and increase the value of the city.
The ceremony also included the cloud promotion of businesses, whereAirportAuthorityHong Kong, Macao International Airport, International Travel Service Ltd GZL and Guangdong China Travel Service Co., Ltd. congratulated on the start of the Project and promoted their businesses online.
▲Blueprint of the Project
2 carbon fiber high-speed passenger ships will be introduced in phase I.
A 2-hour route will be opened to connecting Hong Kong International Airport and Pazhou.
It has been learnt that the selected site of the Project is in the north of Yuejiang Middle Road above the tram station. The planned investment in phase I of the Project is RMB 358 million yuan for construction of five 500-ton berths and the temporary joint inspection building. Also in phase I, the route from Pazhou to Hong Kong International Airport is expected to be put into operation in 2021.
For phase II, passenger routes will be opened directly connecting downtown Hong Kong, downtown Macao and Macao International Airport. By then, the gap of a cross-border port in downtown Guangzhou will be stopped further to enhance the interconnectivity of the Greater Bay Area.
Also present at the ceremony were more than 100 guests from the provincial Shipping Group, Yuexiu Group, Pearl River Shipping Services and Yuexiu Traffic as well as the constructors of the Project.
The ceremony was covered by Xinhua News Agency , CCTV, Hong Kong Satellite TV, Ta Kung Pao, Southern Publishing and Media and Guangzhou Daily. and posted on the websites of SASAC of State Council, People’s Government of Guangdong and The People’s Government of Guangzhou Municipality.