Hong Kong Aims to Boost Yachting

Hong Kong is aiming to become Asia’s premier yacht hub. In the Chief Executive’s 2025 Policy Address,¹ the government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (the Government) unveiled a bold plan to develop and enhance the jurisdiction’s yachting industry, with the aim of attracting high-end tourism and strengthening Hong Kong’s reputation as a yachting destination of choice.

With 1,180 kilometres of coastline, 263 islands and many secluded beaches, Hong Kong’s natural beauty makes it an attractive destination for yachts, as does its location in the Asia Pacific region. The Government now aims to add an infrastructure and regulatory regime to match.

Background

Hong Kong has publicly stated its goal of attracting more of the world’s high net worth individuals and their family offices. Added to that, Hong Kong’s tourism industry has long been important to it. Prior to the Covid pandemic in 2019, tourism contributed significantly to Hong Kong’s GDP and employment figures. Since the removal of pandemic era restrictions in February 2023, the Government (in particular the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau) has been seeking a return to pre-pandemic levels of tourism.

Tourism in Hong Kong is now recovering well. By August 2025, annual visitor arrivals had reached 33.2 million (12% more than the number of arrivals by August 2024). The Government plans aim to sustain and enhance this momentum, with Hong Kong’s yachting industry being one of the cornerstones of this plan.

Entering Hong Kong waters: Current requirements

Yachts visiting Hong Kong are principally regulated by the Merchant Shipping (Local Vessels) (General) Regulation (Cap. 548F) which sets out general safety and operational requirements for local vessels, including yachts, and the Merchant Shipping (Local Vessels) (Certification and Licensing) Regulation (Cap. 548D), which governs certification and licensing requirements for local vessels.²

Currently, visiting yachts must comply with multiple entry formalities when entering Hong Kong waters,³ including:

• Arrival Clearance: Yacht owners or their agents are required to submit a Pre-Arrival Notification at least 24 hours before arrival and complete clearance procedures with the Marine Department, Immigration Department and Department of Health, including submission of supporting documents e.g. the yacht’s certificate of registry, crew list and port clearance. Crew must meet minimum safe manning standards, hold recognised certificates and may be subjected to local knowledge tests.
• Temporary Stay: Yachts staying in Hong Kong waters for less than 182 days in any 365-day period must obtain permission from the Marine Department to navigate under Cap. 548F and shall comply with the applicable requirements including, among others, holding valid third-party liability insurance.
• Permanent Stay: Yachts staying in Hong Kong waters for more than 182 days must procure a permanent stay licence from the Marine Department under Cap. 548D. This is subject to more detailed requirements. Particularly, yachts of more than 150 gross tonnage and not less than 24m in length, of a novel construction, or that carry more than 60 passengers must, before they can obtain a permanent stay licence, obtain the following from the Marine Department:
  • an Approval-in-Principle (AIP) Letter; and
  • a Certificate of Survey. 

The application for the AIP Letter involves submission of an application together with the relevant supporting documents to the Marine Department. Once the AIP is granted, the yacht owner must submit plans for the yacht to the Local Vessels Safety Section of the Marine Department for plan approval, which will be followed by a survey on the yacht. The Certificate of Survey will be issued after satisfactory completion of the above requirements.

What is Proposed?

The measures announced by the Government aim to make it easier for visiting yachts to enter Hong Kong’s waters and to enhance Hong Kong’s marina infrastructure.

To encourage visiting yachts, the Government plans to:

• Relax entry requirements, introduce a ‘Dynamic Yacht Monitoring System’ and streamline clearance procedures. Visiting yachts will soon be able to anchor at designated points without booking private berths and submit arrival information through an enhanced Electronic Business System for one-stop vetting.
• Authorise organisations from Mainland China to conduct yacht master exams and offer short-term training, making it easier for Mainland and eventually overseas yacht operators to navigate local waters.
• Introduce a Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao yacht travel scheme, streamlining the procedures and permission requirements with an aim to enabling seamless northbound and southbound yacht journeys.

To meet the growing demand, over 1,100 new berths are planned, with the Government aiming to make rapid progress on a range of projects including:

• Projects at the former quarry on Lamma Island, Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter (ATS) and Hung Hom Station, which between them will create 600 new berths.
• Development of the yacht bay at Airport City, which could create over 500 new berths, some of which will be able accommodate yachts over 80 metres in length.

Commentary

Hong Kong’s strategy to position itself as Asia’s premier yacht hub is a bold move that goes beyond tourism. It reflects a wider ambition to attract high-net-worth individuals and their family offices, reinforcing the city’s role as a global financial centre and its integration into the Greater Bay Area. This is especially relevant for the large yacht community, as these initiatives are not just about leisure but about creating an ecosystem that supports luxury lifestyles and investment opportunities.

By combining new berthing facilities, streamlined clearance procedures, and regional cooperation, Hong Kong aims to compete with established yachting destinations in Asia. The introduction of a one-stop electronic clearance system and dynamic yacht monitoring promises to simplify the process and reduce the administrative burden on yacht owners and operators. Infrastructure projects such as Airport City Yacht Bay and the Lamma Island waterfront development signal a long-term commitment to the sector.

With careful execution and long-term investment, these initiatives will transform Hong Kong into a world-class yachting destination for both small and large yachts and hopefully encourage the migration of global wealth to Hong Kong. The industry will no doubt continue to monitor implementation of the measures introduced under these initiatives. Particular attention will be paid to the mix of new berths (in terms of size) and whether high-end marina and tailored concierge services would also be made available. It is expected that regional integration through the introduction of a Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao yacht travel scheme will be appealing to yacht owners in the region. However, for it to work, it will necessitate detailed discussion around, among other things, harmonising safety and licensing standards and legal requirements.

Gabriella Sung, Trainee Solicitor, assisted in the preparation of this briefing.

Footnotes:

1. The Chief Executive’s 2025 Policy Address, dated 17 September 2025.
2. Merchant Shipping (Local Vessels) Ordinance, Cap 548, (“LVO”) and Merchant Shipping (Local Vessels) (Safety and Survey) Regulation – Marine Department
3. Information Notes for Masters of Visiting Yachts/Pleasure Vessels – Marine Department, section 1, paragraph i