Hong Kong plans cruise terminal on old airport site

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Hong Kong is to push forward its plan to build a cruise terminal at its old airport site in a bid to turn the territory into Asia's cruise centre.

The plan to build a new terminal at Kai Tak, complete with shopping mall and adjacent sports facilties, was unveiled at an exhibition of some 1,600 infrastructure projects that the government is planning to build over the next decade, with a total value of $77bn.

Kai Tak was replaced by the new international airport at Chek Lap Kok in 1998. Hong Kong SAR chief executive Tung Chee-hwa said yesterday that Hong Kong had to seize the opportunity to become the cruise centre of Asia by building a new terminal at Kai Tak.

Tung said Hong Kong had the potential to become a regional base for cruise ships, in a similar role to Vancouver or Miami. Hong Kong is also studying plans to open up new routes, making the island a destination and a starting point for cruise tours. "People all around the world would fly in here and start off their journey from Hong Kong," he said.

Government officials said the terminal could be completed in three to five years. China Power Duty Free Group holds the duty-free concession for the existing Hong Kong-China and Hong Kong-Macau ferry terminals.