Hong Kong’s new Huanggang Port opens with 24-hour services, faster border checks and a joint clearance system for cross-border travellers and vehicles.
The redeveloped Huanggang Port began 24-hour operations at 6:30 a.m. on October 12th, introducing a new border clearance system between Hong Kong and Shenzhen.
During its first two hours of operation, the port handled 5,170 passenger trips, up more than 60 per cent from the same period on a typical day, Hong Kong Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung said. It also recorded 953 vehicle trips, an increase of about 30 per cent, according to HKCNA.
The new facility introduces a “collaborative inspection and joint clearance” system. Eligible travellers can complete immigration checks for both sides through a single queue. The overall clearance time is expected to fall from around 30 minutes to approximately five minutes. For vehicles using the new joint inspection arrangements, the process takes about two minutes, down from around 10 minutes.
A New Approach to Border Clearance
The redeveloped port introduces the “collaborative inspection and joint clearance” model under a co-location arrangement, with the Hong Kong and mainland port areas operating within the same complex.
Eligible travellers using the automated channels need to queue only once and present their identity documents once to complete immigration procedures for both sides. The facility has 134 automated collaborative inspection channels and 68 conventional manual counters.
The port has a designed daily capacity of 200,000 passenger trips. This could rise to around 300,000 following the future opening of the Northern Link Spur Line in Hong Kong.
For commuters, the new arrangement also changes how they travel across the border. Previously, many passengers using the old Huanggang Port relied on cross-border shuttle buses to travel between San Tin in Hong Kong and the port in Shenzhen.
The last shuttle bus serving the old crossing departed at around 6:15 a.m. on October 12th, shortly before the new facility opened. The old port had been in service since 1989.
From a Border Crossing to a Transport Hub
Huanggang Port has played an important role in cross-border travel for decades. Freight clearance began in 1989, followed by passenger clearance in 1991. Freight services became round-the-clock in 1994, and passenger clearance followed in 2003.
As economic links and daily travel between Hong Kong and Shenzhen expanded, the old facilities faced growing pressure. Reconstruction began in 2019. The new complex combines border inspection facilities with transport connections and passenger services.
The port is also linked to plans for the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone, which straddles the boundary between the two cities.
The removal of cargo inspection functions is expected to free up about 500,000 square metres of land on the Shenzhen side for development, including facilities for the Shenzhen Park of the cooperation zone.
The area is intended to support research and technology collaboration in fields such as artificial intelligence and biomedicine. Faster cross-border travel could also make it easier for researchers and professionals to move between Hong Kong and Shenzhen.
A Change for Cross-Border Commuters
For people who travel between the two cities regularly, the new port offers another way to make the journey.
Mr Cheng, who lives in Shenzhen and works in Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong, told reporters that he had walked for about 15 minutes from Huanggang Port metro station to the new inspection building. He previously relied on cross-border buses for his commute.
He also noted that new bus services offered more travel options. One route allows passengers to change buses at Tai Lam Tunnel, giving him another way to reach his workplace.
The new port may also influence how passengers choose between different crossings, including those at Luohu, Futian and Shenzhen Bay. Its 24-hour services and connections to Shenzhen’s metro network may make it more convenient for some travellers, depending on their destinations and routes.
Hong Kong’s Immigration Department expects the new port to handle at least 100,000 passenger trips a day during its initial stage of operation. Its designed daily capacity is 200,000, potentially rising to around 300,000 following the opening of the Northern Link Spur Line.
Speaking at the opening ceremony on October 11th, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee described the project as a landmark in cooperation between Hong Kong and Shenzhen. The port began operations the following morning, providing round-the-clock clearance services for passengers and passenger vehicles.
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