HKBIA round table

On the 11th of August 2026, the Hong Kong Boating Industry Association took part in the 18th session of the Yue-Gang Monthly Talk series. Organised by the Guangzhou Nansha Guangdong – Hong Kong Cooperation Consultative Committee, the talk was called Guangzhou – Hong Kong synergy: building a Bay Area yachting ecosystem and was held in Hong Kong.

HKBIA chairman, Lawrence Chow, joined the round table discussion alongside CY Leung, vice-chairman of the National Committee of the CPPCC and adviser to the committee; Zhu Yuan-bing of the Guangzhou Institute of the Guangdong – Hong Kong – Macao Greater Bay Area; Peng Xiao-shu, vice-commodore of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club and a member of the Marine Department advisory sub-committee; and Leung Yuet-hei, representing the Nansha yacht building and repair industry.

Presentations were delivered by Yuan Biao, deputy director of the Nansha Development Zone Administrative Committee; Benjamin Wong, head of transport, logistics and industrials at Invest HK, on Hong Kong’s yachting industry development plans and opportunities; and Ye Zhen-hui, chairman of Nansha Development & Construction Group, on jointly building the Bay Area yachting ecosystem.

Three themes ran through the discussion

• Deepening boating culture on both sides of the boundary
• Building a boating value chain that genuinely connects the region
• Expanding marina and berthing infrastructure to support a seamless cross-boundary yachting ecosystem

HKBIA’s position
A Bay Area yachting ecosystem will be built on practical arrangements rather than declarations. Three points matter most to HKBIA’s members:

• Berthing capacity   Hong Kong remains structurally short of berths, and that shortage caps everything downstream – sales, servicing, crew and marine tourism alike. Nansha’s build-out is an opportunity rather than a threat, provided the two sides plan capacity and standards together rather than in parallel

• Cross-boundary access   Yacht-free movement between Guangdong and Hong Kong has proved the concept. Widening the entry points and simplifying pre-arrival and clearance procedures would do more for cross-boundary boating in the near term than any single new facility

A real value chain   Hong Kong’s brokerage, surveying, finance, insurance and crew training capability, paired with Nansha’s build and refit capacity, is a far stronger regional offer than either side alone. The trade already works on both sides of the boundary; the policy framework should catch up with that commercial reality

The Greater Bay Area has the size and potential to become a world-class yachting destination, and Hong Kong – with its professional services, maritime expertise and international connectivity – is well placed to contribute. The HKBIA welcomes views and opinions, and will continue to represent the trade in these discussions.

Lawrence Chow
Chair, Hong Kong Boating Industry Association