Source: Sindh Maritime Network

According to the news on the website of the Ministry of Transport on the 28th, the General Office of the Ministry of Transport, the General Office of the People's Government of Guangdong Province and other five departments issued the Implementation Opinions on the the Pearl River Water Transport Helping the Construction of the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area. Clear opinions are needed to promote the construction of smart ports, smart waterways, smart ships, and smart maritime systems in Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao; Actively developing the cruise industry in the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area and orderly promoting the coordinated development of international cruise ports in the Greater Bay Area; Encourage cooperation between the mainland and Hong Kong and Macao in areas such as infrastructure construction, shipping, port operations, and services.

The opinion points out that building interconnected water transportation infrastructure can promote the construction of infrastructure in the Greater Bay Area. Coordinate the construction of 1000 ton navigation facilities for Longtan Hydropower Station and Baise Water Conservancy Hub, and promote the upgrading of upstream waterways such as Youjiang, Hongshui River, Liuqian River, Guijiang River, Zuojiang River, and Xiujiang River (including new and expanded navigation facilities); Accelerate the construction and upgrading of major inland ports and regional important ports, further optimize port resource allocation, and enhance the support capacity of inland ports. Optimize and improve the layout and construction of logistics hubs, accelerate the construction of container multimodal transport demonstration projects in Dongguan and Shenzhen, promote the construction of multimodal transport projects such as Nanning Port, Guigang Port, Liuzhou Port, Wuzhou Port, Laibin Port, and Funing Port, and vigorously develop river sea intermodal transport of containers, coal and other goods.

The opinion mentions promoting the construction of smart ports, smart waterways, smart ships, and smart maritime systems in Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao. Accelerate the construction of smart port projects, promote the digital waterway construction of the Xijiang main line, advance the research and application demonstration of intelligent shipping in Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao, promote the integrated application of information technologies such as Beidou Navigation System, Internet of Things, cloud computing, and big data in the field of water transportation, and promote the research and application of a global shipping service network platform based on blockchain. The expansion project of the Pearl River Water Transport Integrated Information Service System has been completed.

Clear opinions are needed to improve the quality of water transportation services and promote the high-quality development of transportation services in the Greater Bay Area. Promote the optimization and integration of port resources in the the Pearl River Estuary, and form a port, shipping, logistics and supporting service system with Hong Kong that complements each other's advantages and benefits each other. Relying on large-scale public transportation hubs, we will accelerate the construction of an external transportation and logistics system dominated by rail, public transportation, and water transportation, build a water transportation network that connects the main and branch lines, and focus on creating a fast track for freight and passenger transportation with water express buses as the carrier. Promote the integration of service rules in shipping payment settlement, financing, leasing, insurance, legal services, and other areas among Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao, enhance the internationalization level of port shipping services in the Greater Bay Area, and support Hong Kong's development of high-end shipping services. Actively developing the cruise industry in the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area and orderly promoting the coordinated development of international cruise ports in the Greater Bay Area. Support the expansion of international cruise routes in the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area, and support shipping companies to lawfully expand international cruise routes in Southeast Asia and other regions, and enrich cruise route products.

Opinions require cultivating new advantages in opening up to the outside world and promoting the expansion of opening up in the Greater Bay Area. Optimize the business environment of the Pearl River water transport opening to the outside world. Deepen the reform of "streamlining administration, delegating powers, and improving services", accelerate the transformation of government functions, and promote the legalization of the business environment. Using "double random, one open" supervision as a means, supplemented by key supervision, and based on credit supervision, establish a new regulatory mechanism to standardize regulatory behavior. Further improve the open business environment of the Pearl River water transport. Build a new pattern of opening up the Pearl River water transport. Fully leverage the advantages and roles of Hong Kong and Macao in opening up to the outside world. Encourage cooperation between the mainland and Hong Kong and Macao in areas such as infrastructure construction, shipping, port operations, and services, to achieve complementary advantages in water transportation between the mainland and Hong Kong and Macao.

The opinion mentions accelerating innovation in water transportation technology and promoting innovative development in the Greater Bay Area. Optimize the innovation environment of water transportation, rely on the Pearl River Delta technology construction achievements transfer and transformation demonstration zone, promote the supply and demand docking of water transportation technology achievements in the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area, and promote the transformation of scientific and technological achievements. Enhance the innovation capability of water transportation technology, encourage innovative cooperation between the mainland and Hong Kong and Macao in water transportation technology, promote deep integration of industry, academia and research, and jointly carry out key technology research such as green water transportation, intelligent shipping, and oil spill emergency response.

The opinion points out that promoting the construction of ecological civilization in water transportation and promoting green development in the Greater Bay Area. We will promote the construction of shore power facilities, ship LNG filling stations, and wind and dust prevention facilities for bulk cargo yards in the the Pearl River River system terminals, promote the construction of new and clean energy powered ships, and upgrade ship power receiving facilities, and focus on improving the level of green water transport infrastructure construction. We will strengthen the prevention and control of the Pearl River water transport pollution, and vigorously promote the implementation of the implementation plan of the ship air pollutant emission control zone in the the Pearl River water system. Implement the emergency capacity building plan for the prevention and control of water pollution caused by ships, ports, and related operational activities, and strictly implement the mandatory scrapping system for ships.

Clear opinions are needed to strengthen the quality and safety guarantee of water transportation and promote the safe development of the Greater Bay Area. Enhance the ability to ensure the quality and safety of infrastructure, promote the construction of a safety management system, upgrade the safety facilities of old docks, ferries, and navigation buildings, promote the construction of anchorages, berthing areas, and water service areas, accelerate the construction of port and waterway safety operation monitoring and early warning systems, necessary bridge collision prevention facilities, effectively prevent the risk of ship collision with bridges, and improve the emergency management level and emergency rescue service capabilities of infrastructure. Improve the safety level of water transportation equipment, comprehensively enhance the standardization rate of ships passing through gates, and accelerate the renovation of old ships. Strengthen the business communication among comprehensive administrative law enforcement personnel in transportation, promote the establishment of a water joint inspection system, and effectively strengthen supervision.

Opinions require the establishment and improvement of a sound and comprehensive system and mechanism for the development of water transportation. Implement the spirit of the Notice of the General Office of the State Council on Printing and Distributing the Reform Plan for the Division of Central and Local Financial Powers and Expenditure Responsibilities in the Field of Transport (GBF [2019] No. 33), accelerate the construction of a the Pearl River water transport management pattern with clear responsibilities, scientific standards, efficient operation and high-quality services, and promote the modernization of the the Pearl River water transport governance system and capacity. We will further improve the high-level coordination mechanism for the Pearl River water transport development, and work together to resolve major issues related to the Pearl River water transport development.