A ground-breaking ceremony of the Pazhou Passenger Terminal was held in Guangzhou on May 26, 2020. [Photo/Guangzhou Daily]

A new passenger terminal, which will provide direct ferry services to and from Hong Kong and Macau, is being built in South China's port city of Guangzhou. People in Guangzhou will soon be able to reach the Hong Kong International Airport within two hours, the shortest transit time of any other existing means of cross-border transportation. 

Construction of the new terminal kicked off at Pazhou island, southeast of Haizhu district, on Tuesday. The terminal will be the first border port for sea travel located in the city's downtown area.

It is adjacent to the Guangzhou International Convention and Exhibition Center and the Pazhou Bridge, making it more convenient for business travelers to participate in the Canton Fair.

With nearby tram service, the terminal will help complete the city's multimodal transportation network and boost tourism in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area by integrating onshore and water recreation resources.

One-stop check-in and customs clearance will be available at the Pazhou Passenger Terminal, enabling tourists to board their planes directly upon arrival at the Hong Kong International Airport and establishing a seamless sea-air connection.

Meanwhile, the chance to enjoy the beautiful riverside scenery from a ferry will be an added attraction and make a good start for passengers' ensuing trips.

Site plans of the Pazhou Passenger Terminal project. [Photo/Guangzhou Daily]

The project is being carried out in two phases. With planned investment of 358 million yuan, the first phase is designed to erect a three-story building for temporary joint customs inspection. The building will be linked to a floating embarkation platform through a purpose-built corridor. The first phase also will include five 500-ton berths and a 280-meter long shoreline.

A direct shipping route between Pazhou and the Hong Kong International Airportis expected to open in 2021. Ferries will be scheduled every day and run back and forth, with two trips in the morning and two in the afternoon during the terminal's initial operation. Six daily sailings are expected in the future. One-way ticket price will be set between 200 and 300 yuan.

During the second phase, more routes will open to the downtown areas of Hong Kong and Macau as well as to the Macau International Airport.

The terminal is a key infrastructure project for Guangdong province and part of a three-year action plan to promote the development of Guangzhou International Shipping Hub. It will greatly build up Pazhou's economic influence and drive the growth of relevant industries. It will progress toward an important regional transportation hub and forge stronger interconnection among cities in the Greater Bay Area.

Author: Pauline Dai